Held in Thrall
by Spades
Summary: Snape dealt the final blow and Dumbledore fell. Now Death Eaters defiled Hogwarts and innocents were struck down. A burning hatred filled Harry as never before, focused on the escaping foe but most especially, on the traitor Severus Snape. Something snapped, a change begun; this night would be a turning point. Neither Harry nor Severus could foresee what the future had in store.
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter stared into the massive fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, currently home to a roaring fire. Ron and Hermione were quietly yet heatedly discussing some topic over in a large club chair, pressed against each other's side. He probably should have been participating but he couldn't motivate himself to care. If he looked into the fire long enough, maybe his Godfather would miraculously appear. Harry wanted to snort out loud. He knew it wasn't going to happen; it was foolish to dream, but he couldn't seem to squash the irrational hope. Nothing was going right. He was alone again, but for one brief moment he had had a family; someone that wanted him around because he was Harry. Not Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived, not the Golden Boy, not the last of the Potter line; no, Sirius had wanted Harry, just as he was with no strings attached.

"Are you paying attention, Harry?"

His attention was jerked back to the present where he found both Hermione and Ron staring at him. Not even attempting to pretend he knew what they'd asked him, he stared at them blankly.

"Yeah?"

Hermione sighed and closed the heavy book that covered both their laps. It was late and the other students had already gone to bed. No one else remained in the common room to hear their conversation.

"Have you had any luck finding your Animagus form?" she asked again, briefly sighing at his lack of focus.

"No."

The young witch stood, setting the book on the heavy center table. They had discussed ways to go about tracking down Voldemort's Horcruxes. Hermione had suggested each of them find their Animagus form since traveling as an animal would be much easier and safer for them than appearing publicly in their human forms. So far none of them had succeeded; a fact which annoyed Hermione greatly, resident bookworm that she was.

"Harry, we've talked about this. We are all too recognizable, you most of all; if we have any hope of tracking down these...objects, we have to do it secretly. Traveling in animal form will help with that," she continued to lecture but Harry had suddenly had enough for the night.

He stood and grabbed his bag from the floor. "I know that, Hermione. But I've got a little more on my plate than I can deal with right now. I'll work on it and let you know, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked up the stairs to the boy's dorm rooms. He just couldn't handle his friends right now. Dumbledore had sent a note earlier asking him to accompany the wizard the following night. He had an idea of what it might entail, but he wasn't sure and didn't want to bring it up with his friends. He also hadn't had a good night's rest in two weeks, ever since Hermione had brought up the idea of finding their animal forms. His dreams were filled with blackness and fire; sometimes there were distant lands he traveled. He knew the dreams weren't coming from Voldemort because the Dark Lord never appeared in these nocturnal visions, nor were the dreams frightening. That was what disturbed Harry the most actually. In the dreams he felt comfortable and at peace with the blackness and fire, he was content as he journeyed in his dreamscape. He often felt more at peace in his dreams than he did awake. Shaking his head, he approached his canopy bed, dropping his bag on the floor before changing into his pajamas. Maybe tonight he would dream of distant lands again. He needed a good night's sleep; Dumbledore and he were going somewhere and he needed to be ready.

(!)(!)(!)

Harry watched in unmitigated horror as Snape, Draco Malfoy and the other Death Eaters ran from the Astronomy Tower after Dumbledore fell. This couldn't be happening! He only spared the briefest of glances down below to see the crumpled figure before he went racing down the stairs, wand clutched in his hand and intent on retribution. The levels down below were a screaming melee of panicked students and teachers, trying to understand what was going on while others battled and defended. He saw Neville and Luna attempting to halt the retreating figures, petrified Death Eaters littering the hallway in their wake. Up ahead, Harry saw Snape whip around a corner in a swirl of dark robes. A wave of pure hatred unlike anything he had ever felt before suddenly filled him, Harry didn't even realize he was snarling as he ducked into a shortcut he knew to take him to the entry hall. The Death Eaters had to get to the edge of the wards before they could Apparate and Harry was determined to cut them off, taking as many down with him as he could. Emerging from the darkened hallway, he could see the Death Eaters already exiting the entry hall through the massive double doors and moving with haste across the lawn towards the gates. Just as his gaze locked on Snape, he saw the man he had always known as his Professor fire a stunning hex at a second year student; after that Harry saw nothing but red. The young student was bravely fighting with his friends, but he wasn't a challenge to Snape, or to anyone else, being only a second year; yet the Potions Master had ruthlessly cut him down.

Harry felt something inside him click, expanding within his chest. Pushing away from the stone doorway into the school, his eyesight quickly sharpened and suddenly he was flying over the short distance towards the fleeing Death Eaters. He didn't stop to understand why he was flying, his sole focus being the black robes of the traitor. Screams of horror filled his ears as he neared his prey, talons outstretched and gleaming as he overtook him. The pale face turned sharply to glimpse his pursuer, shock filling his gaze as Harry caught his own reflection in the dark eyes. Black scales shimmering with a constantly shifting green hue where they trailed down his spine and gathered over his broad chest. The green matched the scorching color in his wide, lizard like eyes as he easily pinned the older man to the ground under one of his fore claws. Talons dug into the dirt making escape impossible for his captive as ineffective stunning spells were cast towards him. The flashes of light briefly illuminating attackers and predator alike in the thick darkness. The curses rebounded immediately from his scales, the instinctive Protego he cast over himself in full effect. Snarling caught his attention, and he swung his head around in time to see a large rabid wolf leaping towards his throat. Without thinking, his wings flared around him and his long neck twisted to allow his jaws to snap around the wolf's body, plucking it easily from the air. Rank blood exploded over his tongue, teeth and lips as he crunched down on fragile bones. With a violent snap of his head, he slung the corpse so forcefully that the body was impaled by a broken branch when it collided with a nearby tree. Turning back to the few Death Eaters still trying to stun him, he took a deep breath into his massive chest and felt heat race up his neck. Lowering his head, he released a thick oily gush of burning liquid which set fire to everything it touched. Screams filled his ears as burning wizards stumbled and fell, while those who escaped his attack ran for the edge of the wards; so few could not battle an incensed dragon. Faint pops signaled their departure.

Surrounded by flames, the flicker of firelight shimmered off his darkly colored scales as he observed the deserted battlefield. Cries still echoed behind him, from somewhere closer to the castle while he looked at the man still beneath his claw. He could hear and feel the pounding heartbeat against the fleshy part of his claw as his head lowered to look more closely at the frightened wizard.

"P-Potter?"

The dragon snarled at the soft word, his gaze boring into the dark eyes. Something within the dark eyes flared brightly, almost in recognition of the power hidden behind the dragon's green gaze. A flimsy barrier blocked the wizard's mind but with barely a mental twitch, the barrier shattered and he captured the brilliant organ. This vessel called to him and it was now his; his pet; his property; his thrall; his _Ventus Famulus_.

 _Silence!_

The mental projection was firm and all thoughts of speaking collapsed under the command. A mouth opened and closed uselessly before acknowledging the futility of it. An instinct rose in Harry's mind and without hesitation, he forced his captive into unconsciousness. Lifting his claw from the now limp body, he stepped away and with only a thought shifted back to his human form, then promptly collapsed onto his hands and knees to retch.

Thoughts raced through his mind in a confusing jumble as he tried to figure out what had just happened. He, Harry Potter, had just shifted into a dragon; a ferocious, powerful dragon. His wand was still clutched in his hand as he spat, hoping to rid his mouth of the taste of Greyback's blood. One glance towards the tree on his left verified it was the corpse of the infamous werewolf; to his right was the unconscious form of Severus Snape, murderer of Albus Dumbledore. Shaking his head and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he stood and collected the wands from both Snape and Greyback. Tucking away the strange wands, he bound both the dead man and the unconscious man before using his own wand to levitate the two. The walk back to the castle was silent and slow before he caught sight of a few teachers and older students.

"Potter! What are-" McGonagall started but then fell silent, staring as he came closer and she realized what he was bringing with him.

"Snape killed Dumbledore and ran with the other Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy let them into the castle via a vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement. He went with them. I caught Snape and something from the forest killed Greyback," he stated flatly, knowing that to reveal he had been the one to kill Greyback might not be in his best interests.

Wild and exotic creatures lived it the Forbidden Forest, any of which could and probably would have killed a rabid werewolf. There was no need to incriminate himself. McGonagall floundered for a brief moment before nodding and turning to Professor Flitwick. The Aurors would arrive shortly, they could take the other captives and Greyback's body but McGonagall wanted Snape first. Flitwick took the Potion Master's body to a secure room after learning that Harry held his wand. Greyback's wand he passed to McGonagall to surrender to the Aurors when they came for the body. Finally having someone else issuing orders and taking control, Harry slowly collapsed onto his knees to take a moment to breathe. He was still reeling over all that had happened in the last hour. Headmaster Dumbledore was dead; killed by one of his own Professors, someone he had told Harry that he trusted. Trusted with his life, and he died for that misplaced trust. Harry had shifted into a dragon, captured Snape, and killed Greyback with no remorse. How was he going to explain that one away? Everyone knew that Snape was one of the most talented professors at the school. He was only a sixth year student yet he had somehow managed to best the Death Eater.

"Harry?"

He looked up dazed as Hermione slowly knelt in front of him. The young witch had blood streaming from a head wound and her clothing was torn in several places. She had been in the thick of battle in the castle. Her pale face and wide eyes convinced Harry that everything really had happened.

"He's dead, Hermione. He didn't even try to defend himself. Snape killed him," he muttered, slowly blinking.

"He might have survived."

Harry was already shaking his head. "It was the killing curse. He's gone."

His best friend bit her bottom lip before moving to help him stand. They both walked back to the castle, passing sobbing students as Hermione filled him in on what happened in the castle. Two students had been killed by Greyback and Harry was glad that the dragon had killed the vile creature. Ron had deflected a curse but tripped over a fallen piece of stone and took a tumble down the stairs, knocking himself unconscious. Harry might have laughed about it if the circumstances weren't so dire. Hermione didn't know how the rest of their friends had fared.

Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, nursing wounds and providing comfort. Harry and Hermione found a now conscious Ron and sat around their groggy, ginger friend. Harry glossed over how he caught Snape, easily offering that it happened so suddenly he couldn't exactly remember. Which was partially the truth, if he was honest.

"Someone mentioned that they thought they saw a dragon come out of the Forbidden Forest," Hermione whispered, causing both Harry and Ron to look sharply at her.

"That's barmy, 'Mione. There's no dragons in the Forest, Charlie's assured me," Ron muttered and she rolled her eyes.

"There are a lot of creatures in the Forest, Ron. Some we might not even know about. Is it so hard to believe that there might be a rogue dragon there?"

Harry didn't say anything, grateful that the darkness had hidden most of him. Rubbing his sweaty hands on his thighs, he looked up just as two Aurors entered the Great Hall and made straight for McGonagall. While speaking to them, her gaze darted briefly to Harry before looking back to the two in front of her. Harry knew she would be wanting to speak with him later. Dumbledore had been adamant that he believed in Snape and that he should be trusted. She knew from experience that Dumbledore knew things that he didn't share with others.

Twitching, he felt something spark inside him and a new awareness suddenly came online. He felt a phantom pain along the length of his back and his head ached fiercely. But it wasn't actually him feeling the pain, it was like a memory of a severe pain that lingered. Annoyance filled him along with a faint trickle of fear, remorse and guilt were also surging through him but again he didn't actually feel it. He was suddenly reminded of what the dragon had done; what exactly the dragon had claimed. _His pet; his property; his thrall._ He was sensing Snape's emotions. Breath catching in his throat, he stood abruptly and looked down at his friends.

"I have to go. I'll be back later," he briskly replied to their questioning looks.

Slipping around the knots of people and avoiding McGonagall, he made straight for the library. He needed to do some research. The library was of course empty and dark, bags and books scattered about, quickly forgotten and abandoned during the attack. Finding the section that covered dragons, he pulled out all of the books and sent them over to the nearest table. Studying with Hermione had taught him how to skim through a book's index to identify if what he needed was available in the book and soon he had gone through and eliminated the entire selection. Determined now, he went back to the shelves and searched for more books on the off chance they might have been misshelved. He doubted Madam Pince would allow such a thing to happen but it was worth a shot. At the back of one shelf, in the shadowy darkness, his fingers touched warm leather and he started feeling for the edges of the book. It was unlike Madam Pince to allow a book to be lost behind others as well. Before he could wonder about it further, the book seemed to form against his touch until he pulled a dusty tome from the depths of the shelf. Dusting off the spine, he read the inscription in golden letters and raised his eyebrows; _Dragon Legends and Lore_ by Alastair Scrumring. The book gave off a warning thrum of heat before fading surprisingly in his hands. He hurried back to the table, surrounded by the other books, Harry took his seat once more and opened the strange book with a small puff of smoke and ash. The book seemed benign at first compared to the others and he breathed a sigh of relief. Again going to look at the index first, he was startled when the book flipped to the dedication page and fine script burned into the text legibly.

 _This book belongs to dragons only and those of dragon kind. This book was written by the last Dominus Draco and I will have my Ventus Famulus, Alastair, place it in secret at the school of Hogwarts for the next Dominus Draco. If you possess this book and peruse these words then welcome brother or sister and greetings to you and yours._

Harry released a shuddering breath, realizing that this had suddenly gotten far more serious than he expected. Flipping slowly to the index again, he noted a few page numbers and flipped to the first section he was interested in. Like the dedication page, once he focused on the page the words burned into existence.

 _A dragon's thralls are beings that are forcibly placed under the control of an Alpha Dragon, thus possessing no free will of their own unless the Alpha Dragon allows it. An Alpha Dragon can have as many thralls as it desires. The thralls are created to serve their dragon in any and all aspects of their existence. Slaves is an apt description but thralls are often treated better. More often than not, thralls are used to procure supplies and/or food for the dragons and to provide companionship. Thralls are not capable of harming the Alpha Dragon to which they belong. The last documented thrall was in 1571. The decline in thralls can be attributed to the fact that wizards have begun to join forces and collectively desire to force dragons into the realm of creatures, merely wild beasts instead of intelligent beings. For more information on Alpha Dragons, see Sec. 7.2._

Harry flipped quickly to Sec. 7.2 and started reading again.

 _Alpha Dragons are dragons that are cognizant of their intentions and possess reasoning abilities. However, instincts still affect Alpha Dragons, just not to the same degree as the average dragon. Alpha Dragons would become the lieutenants to a_ Dominus Draco _if one is ever called forth. For more information on_ Dominus Draco _, see Sec. 12.3._

He read the next section and suddenly felt himself pale at the wealth of information. He was in so much trouble.

Dominus Draco _is best described as the dragon species' fairytale of a Master Dragon or Lord Dragon, a dragon of high intelligence that holds Lordship over all other dragon species and has the ability to shift between human and dragon form. Tales mention that the_ Dominus Draco _will act as the balancing agent between dragon realms. A single_ Dominus Draco _will exist during a dragon age and once one passes then another will be born to prevent any overlap of power. However, the strict limits on breeding and the few dragons to survive to adulthood could mean the end of_ Dominus Draco _._

 _A less circulated tale details how a powerful wizard could possess an Animagus form of a_ Dominus Draco _and this half wizard, half dragon will be powerful enough to unite both the dragon nation and the wizard nation. A wizard shifting to dragon form is considered far more powerful than a dragon shifting to human form. However, there are no documented examples of this, yet the rumor persists. The_ Dominus Draco _, can create thralls of any human or wizard and it is considered a permanent binding, extending the life of the human or wizard as well as the dragon. If the thrall be another wizard, the_ Dominus Draco _can increase the wizard thrall's power or decrease it. The_ Dominus Draco Wizard _, straddles the divide between magical creatures and wizards. According to all of the tales, the power of the dominant dragon wizard will be boundless._

 _Rarely will the_ Dominus Draco _succeed in identifying its_ Ventus Famulus, _or Favorite Thrall. This thrall will be special or preferred as it is the perfect companion for the_ Dominus Draco _, in every way. The_ Ventus Famulus _could be wizard or muggle, it will depend upon the_ Dominus Draco _._

Harry sat back and muttered a curse word under his breath. At least now he knew what happened and what he might have done to Snape. He was a Dominus Draco and the dragon identified Snape as his favorite thrall. He never should have gotten out of bed this morning.

(!)(!)(!)

"Mr. Potter, a word please."

Harry cringed, slowly turning to look at the imposing figure of Professor McGonagall as she stepped out from the shadows. The book was warm against his lower back where he had tucked it into his school seemed to have quieted down, so Harry decided to risk returning to Gryffindor Tower in the welcome calm. He should have known she would be waiting for him, but he stupidly thought he could avoid her. Oh well.

"Yes, Professor?"

She motioned him into an empty classroom, warding the door behind them with locking and silencing spells. She turned, watching him for a moment before stepping forward and speaking.

"Tell me what happened this evening."

Harry took a deep breath and told her about traveling to Crystal Cave with Dumbledore, subsequently retrieving the locket. He spoke of returning only to see the Dark Mark atop the Astronomy Tower and Dumbledore casting _Petrificus Totalus_ over him. He stuttered over the conversation between Dumbledore and Malfoy, feeling the familiar uselessness wash over him. He again fumbled over the fight on the grounds where the 'strange creature from the Forest' killed Greyback and he somehow captured Snape. He lied and theorized that maybe the creature knocked Snape out while attacking Greyback. McGonagall watched him intently until he reached the point of the story where he left Hermione and Ron in the Great Hall. He did not tell her about sensing Snape's emotions or going to the library to do research, and he definitely made no mention of shifting into a dragon.

"Is that all, Mr. Potter?"

He nodded, staring at the stone floor before gathering his courage to look up at the matronly professor and asking the question on his mind.

"What's to happen to Snape?"

"Professor Snape," she snapped, more out of habit than anything else.

Harry grimaced before asking again with the title in place.

Professor McGonagall sighed, suddenly looking much older than she really was or ever acted. "I did not tell the Aurors about him and implied that the infiltrating Death Eaters were responsible for Albus' death. That could change if I inform them that there was an eyewitness to the act. However, I have been to see him and Professor Snape has not said a word since he awoke, despite making occasional efforts to do so. Poppy has been to see him and can find nothing wrong to impair his speech. Was there anything significant you noticed during the battle which may have affected him? A curse or hex?"

Harry blanched, remembering when he was the dragon. He had ordered Snape to silence. The Professor was incapable of speaking until Harry lifted his command. He sagged weakly and would have fallen if the professor had not summoned a chair and shoved it beneath him. Bending over until his head hung between his knees, he marveled at how messed up his life had gotten in the last twenty-four hours.

"No, Professor. I didn't see or hear any strange spells, but it could have happened while they were retreating through the castle. I didn't have my eyes on him the entire time so I can't really say," he replied, more to his trainers than the professor.

She sighed and nodded, turning to remove the wards over the door. "Get to your dormitory, Mr. Potter. Tomorrow is another day, we'll figure it all out then."

"Ma'am." She turned to look at him, raising her eyebrows. Harry swallowed tightly before speaking quickly. "May I be permitted to see Sn-Professor Snape?"

Professor McGonagall thought for a moment before nodding, giving him directions to where the Potion's Master was being kept and the password to access the portal into the room. An Order member was keeping watch in the hallway and she warned Harry to leave both their wands outside with the guard before entering. Nodding, he soon departed and headed down the hallway, clutching both wands in his hand. A few minutes later he saw Tonks up ahead, nodding to her briefly while handing over both Snape's and his own wand. Speaking the password to the portrait, he stepped through and entered the room. It looked to be one of the rooms they offered visiting professors; sparse yet simply and comfortably decorated. A small fire burned in the fireplace and a simple meal of sandwiches, pumpkin juice and tea sat untouched on the table.

Snape was pacing the small room in obvious irritation, his gaze whipping around sharply to see who had entered. Recognizing Potter, he immediately stormed over to the young man pointing a finger at the boy's face before pointing towards his own throat. Raising an eyebrow, Harry turned slightly and, without taking his eyes off Snape, waved his hand over the door and wall, silently warding them for privacy. Despite not having a wand, he felt magic tingle and spread throughout his body before it followed his unspoken request . The book had said his power would increase exponentially and it was obviously correct; he would have never been able to do that without a wand, let alone wordlessly. The older man's gaze narrowed sharply at the action and he hesitantly took a step back to get a better look at the unusually powerful sixth year student standing before him.

"Please sit down, Professor," Harry said, hoping that framing it as polite request was better than an order.

It seemed to work as the older man was obviously debating the pros and cons of the simple statement before deciding if he would comply. Harry sighed, wondering how the rest of this was going to go if he got this much snarkiness and attitude from asking him to sit.

"I can order you to sit and you would have no choice but to comply; but, I think you realize that already, smart man that you are. I'm trying to be civil, sir."

Snape's eye twitched at the forced politeness but he backed towards a seat while pointing at his throat once again.

"Yes, I'll revoke my order if we can sit and have a civilized conversation."

Snape grimaced, sitting on the couch while Harry chose the club chair. The leather bound dragon book pressed warmly against his skin when he leaned back but it was reassuring instead of an annoyance.

"I revoke my demand for silence."

"What the bloody hell are you, Potter, and what did you do to me?" Snape snarled, his words obviously longing to escape since he had regained consciousness. Even now his eyes raked desperately over the deceptively innocuous young man, searching for the answers to his questions without success.

"That's not important right now. I want to know why you killed Dumbledore."

Harry normally would have been terrified of questioning Snape but the book had said that a thrall could never maliciously harm their dragon. He might have been putting a bit too much faith in the book at this early stage but something within him suggested both he and the book were correct. He was going to get answers, and if he had to be an arsehole to get them then so be it. He was no longer the unsure, frightened first year, intimidated by the Potion Master.

Said Potion Master surged from his seat on the couch, snarling at the impudence of a mere student daring to question him. "I will not answer to a whelp of a wizard child, playing in situations best left alone!"

The young wizard watched him calmly.

"Please sit down Professor."

Snape sneered, whirling away in a rustle of robes to continue pacing. Harry took a deep breath, resisting the urges that began to rise up in response to Snape's tone.

"Professor Snape, please sit so we may talk like civilized adults."

"Leave me be, boy."

Harry came to his feet and blocked the older man's path. "I asked as a courtesy, now I'm telling you. Down!"

He didn't really specify but he hadn't needed to. The next moment he watched quietly as Snape fell gracelessly to his knees, looking up at him with shock and fury. A thrill ran through Harry at seeing Snape on his knees before him but that wasn't what he was here for. Snape probably didn't play that way. Oh yes, Harry had learned many things over the years about what he liked and didn't like.

"I'll ask again. I wish to know why you killed Dumbledore. Please tell me or I will find the answer myself," Harry said quietly, not wanting to push this issue but knowing he would eventually have to.

The only response he got was another snarl while the wizard struggled impossibly to regain his feet. Rolling his eyes, Harry stepped back, quickly locking his gaze with Snape's.

"Legilimens!"

If Snape expected this to be like their lessons then he was sadly mistaken. His usual Occlumens shields stood strong but Harry passed right through as if they didn't exist. A mind could not block out its rightful owner and the dragon had claimed this bright mind. Harry could sense the rampant fear that permeated Snape like never before. No one had ever been able to break through Snape's shields; not Dumbledore, not the Dark Lord. Harry knew what kind of power he had and the chance to abuse it was within his grasp. But that wasn't who he was.

"Show me why you killed Dumbledore. Show me everything connected to the event atop the Astronomy Tower," he murmured and almost instantly a bright, shimmering memory floated towards him from the swirling murk.

He could sense Snape mentally grappling for that memory, trying to hide it, shield it anyway he could but his efforts were pointless. Harry watched in silence as Snape and Dumbledore spoke in his office, revealing what he wanted to know. The unsurprising truth that Dumbledore knew Malfoy was tasked to kill him. The shock of knowing that the curse in Dumbledore's hand would have killed him soon. The plan to save young Malfoy's soul from the taint of murder when Snape's soul was already stained by previous actions. Snape had been Dumbledore's man all this time; from the beginning, the Potion Master had been on their side. He had been tasked with doing the unimaginable and doing so without anyone's knowledge or gratitude. Dumbledore had chosen to set the time and place of his own death; entrusting a loyal friend to see it through to the end.

Breaking the connection, he stepped away from the man now on his hands and knees panting harshly. Both men were breathing heavily after the mental and physical exertion of sharing the same mental space, not to mention the emotional toll of what Snape had unwillingly revealed and Harry had been shocked to learn. Harry stunned that Snape was really on their side. Snape shaken that the Potter boy found and viewed that memory with barely a token effort on his part. He was still on the ground and physically unable to stand; unable to move from the position Potter had forced him into. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears and a cold sweat broke out beneath his robes.

"Wh-What are you?"

Harry looked briefly at the other man before rubbing his forehead. "That is a long story. One which I don't have the energy or time for right now. You may stand and you may speak to whomever you wish, but not about me and what happened out on the lawn or what just happened here in his room. We'll speak more tomorrow."

Without another glance towards Snape, he turned and exited the room. The portrait sealing behind him as he nodded at Tonks and accepted his wand back from the Auror. Tucking it into his pocket, he groaned softly while rolling his head to ease the stiff muscles.

"He's able to talk now."

Tonks nodded with a small smile before Harry turned and walked away. He made a beeline for Gryffindor Tower and his bed, too tired to think about anything beyond hiding the book in his trunk and getting some shut eye. Tomorrow was going to be trying.

This is my first foray into the Harry Potter fandom so please be kind. I've proofed for other authors in this fandom and like to think I do an okay job. So, please be kind and I hope you enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Barely awake yet, Harry rubbed his eyes while he staggered down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room. He had no sooner emerged from the stairwell, when he was startled by a cry that sounded too loud for this time of the morning. He jerked back in surprise as a body collided abruptly with his own as he found his arms filled by a certain bushy haired witch. Wrapping his arms around Hermione, he squeezed tightly for a moment before releasing his friend. Ron was seated in one of the plush chairs in front of the fire, still looking a bit pale from his tumble during the skirmish.

"Where have you been, Harry? We never saw you after you left the Great Hall last night. Ron saw you in bed this morning but we never heard you come in. What happened? Where did you go?" Harry rolled his eyes while Hermione bombarded him with questions without even pausing to let him begin to answer. It was frustrating at times but that was Hermione for you and he was rather used to it by now.

"Let's get some breakfast and we can talk."

He didn't intend to tell them about the dragon until later; much later. Maybe once he worked things out on his own and had had a chance to speak to Snape about it. He was the only one who knew he changed into that dragon and Harry would like to keep it that way until he figured out what to do about it. The three friends walked slowly down the unusually silent hallways and into the Great Hall. A depressing quiet had fallen over the entire school and everyone they saw looked traumatized by the recent events. Sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, a selection of food appeared as Hermione subtly cast a _Muffliato_ around them. The sight and smell of the hot food made Harry realize just how hungry he was and he quickly dug in before either of his friends could ask any questions. When all of them had eaten for a few minutes, Hermione finally lost her patience and set aside her silverware, giving Harry the look.

"Alright, fine. Last night I had to do some research and that's where I was for most of the evening."

Hermione blinked at him in surprise while Ron choked on some of his food.

"Dumbledore is murdered by Snape and you went to do research? What for?" Ron asked after taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Yes, Snape cast the killing curse, but it was arranged by Dumbledore ahead of time. He and Snape planned it," Harry replied quietly and both of his friends stared.

"Harry, what do-"

"I saw Snape's memories. Dumbledore was going to die from the curse in his hand; that's why it was blackened and withered. Snape confined the curse to his hand but it was eventually going to kill him. Dumbledore knew this and chose to meet his death head on; instead of waiting for it to come to him. Malfoy was supposed to do it and Dumbledore knew that long before it happened. He was trying to save Malfoy's soul," he muttered, pushing aside his plate, the conversation robbing him of his previous appetite.

"That git doesn't have a soul," Ron snapped and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well obviously Dumbledore thought he did and that it needed saving. But that doesn't matter now, Snape is guilty of the crime but also innocent of it."

An owl fluttering onto the table in front of them halted the conversation. Hermione pulled the parchment from the raised leg while Ron offered a piece of bacon. After glancing at the short note, she handed it to Harry before speaking.

"Professor McGonagall wants to see us in the Headmaster's Office as soon as possible. All three of us," she stated. Noticing that the two males seemed to be done with their food, she rose to leave.

Without another word, Ron and Harry stood and followed Hermione out of the room. They passed Peeves in the hallway and even the poltergeist seemed downtrodden; his rhyming and taunts seeming halfhearted at best. The stone gargoyle sobbed for them to go on up as they avoided the small tear size pieces of stone he cried. The journey up was silent, voices trickling down the stairwell from others already in the office. The steady buzz of voices continued to ebb and flow when they entered the room, the three teenagers recognizing almost every member of the Order. The three of them found chairs on the outskirts of the group and listened to the various conversations going on around the room. A house elf was scurrying about, disappearing and reappearing carrying beverages and nibbles. With a quick word, cups of tea appeared for the three friends. Arthur was talking heatedly with Kingsley in one corner. Nearby were Tonks and Lupin, speaking quietly, their chairs slid close together. Molly, Moody and McGonagall were standing behind the large desk arguing, their voices starting to drown out everyone else.

"And I say he should be obliviated and thrown into Azkaban!" Moody snarled, slamming his fist against the desk.

"Albus trusted him and told me the same repeatedly! Unless you have proof to the contrary, I shall continue to believe there is a reason for Albus' faith and trust in the man!" McGonagall snapped.

"Minerva, he killed Albus. His body was there in front of children!" Molly shouted, almost screeching.

"He's a murderer," Moody stated again.

"He's not."

The clear, firm voice shot through the room and silenced all conversation. They all turned to see who spoke, finally noticing the three young people, both Ron and Hermione staring intently at Harry. The young wizard was leaning forward with his elbows braced on his knees, hands clasped together. Lifting his head, he looked at each of them in turn, dark hair falling over his pale forehead, obscuring the infamous scar.

"What was that, Potter?" Moody asked, turning to look fully at the boy.

"Headmaster Dumbledore was already dying. He arranged the conditions of his death with Professor Snape ahead of time. It was assisted suicide if you want to be technical. I was there, I saw the Headmaster beg Professor Snape to do it. Headmaster Dumbledore seemed to...welcome it," Harry stated quietly before standing.

"Professor Snape has always been on our side. He's been loyal to us. I saw proof of it."

"And how is that Harry?" Remus questioned as the young man walked towards the desk.

"I saw his memories. I saw the conversation he had with the Headmaster. Draco Malfoy was to be the one to kill him, per Voldemort's orders, but Dumbledore wanted to save him from that. Snape also made an unbreakable vow with Malfoy's mum to do it if he failed. So he was under two vows, promising to perform the act."

"Severus is a master Occlumens, Mister Potter, and as much faith as I have in you and your abilities, I seriously doubt you could breach his shields," Professor McGonagall huffed causing Harry to level a look at her.

"Well I did. If you wish to question him, he's able to speak again. He will _not_ be going with the Aurors."

McGonagall's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the assuredness in Harry's voice. He was turning away from the desk when Hermione stepped forward and cleared her throat.

"What's the plan for the school now? Who'll be the new Headmaster?"

Several heads turned to look at Professor McGonagall who sighed. "The school will remain open, Miss Granger; at least for the remainder of this school year. I need to speak with Severus and then we can decide what our next course of action will be."

It was an informal dismissal and the three took it as such. A few others followed them down to head back to the Ministry. Remus snagged Harry's arm, holding him back while waving the other two on ahead. Harry nodded to his two friends and watched them walked away before turning to Remus.

"Is everything all right, Harry?"

The young man raised an eyebrow before nodding. "Everything is fine, Remus. Why do you ask?"

The werewolf seemed torn, debating on what he needed or wanted to say.

"You seem different. The fact that Severus allowed you to see his memories is nothing short of a miracle. How certain can you be that he didn't manipulate the memories or you so you would see what he wanted you to see?"

Harry realized that Remus had a point. Snape was powerful; everyone knew this. No one would believe that the caustic Potion Master suddenly had a change of heart; especially not towards the son of James Potter.

"I know he didn't. Please trust me."

Remus hesitated but then nodded. Harry decided to broach a new topic he was curious about and steer them away from talk of Snape.

"I did want to ask you something though. Have you ever heard of a wizard or witch having a Patronus that's a dragon?" Harry questioned, seeing the surprise his inquiry brought to Remus' face.

The older man stopped and thought for several moments before shaking his head. "I've never heard of one. Dragons are very powerful creatures and for a wizard or witch to have their innermost feelings and thoughts manifest as a dragon is incredibly unlikely."

"What about someone having a dragon as their Animagus form?"

Remus crossed his arms over his chest and looked concerned.

"Is there something you need to tell me, Harry?"

Thinking quickly, Harry shook his head slightly and lied, "During the battle yesterday. I could have...could have sworn I saw a dragon and I wondered if it was possible that it was a wizard's Patronus or Animagus form. Then again, my mind could have conjured the whole thing up, considering all that was going on."

Remus nodded slowly, seeming to believe the young man. "It's practically the same answer as it was for the Patronus. A dragon is one of the most powerful magical creatures our world has and for a wizard or witch to change into one would quite possibly kill any individual who tried. All the Animagi I know of or have seen were normal animals, the kind you would see in the muggle world."

Harry nodded and escorted his friend to the entrance hall, hugging Remus goodbye. _Why did I have to be special and defy any normal parameters?_ he asked himself before turning away and making for his dorm.

(!)(!)(!)

Severus Snape sat on the floor in this room that doubled as his cell, his back pressed against the cold stone. A fresh platter of food sat untouched on the table despite the hunger pains that assaulted him. He was going mad in here not knowing what was happening out there. Were they waiting for the Aurors to arrive and haul him away? Was Minerva dreaming of some elaborate, painful way for him to die in revenge for Albus? No one had been to see him since the Potter boy the night before and that memory led him right down a path to a whole new set of questions and horrifying thoughts. Did he really see what he thought he saw? Granted, all he really knew was that Potter had chased them through the hallway after the event on the Astronomy Tower and when he looked back while on the lawn, he saw a black scaled dragon bearing down on him. He had nothing to confirm or deny his assumptions; it was all circumstantial. Other than the fact that it now seemed he had to obey each of Potter's orders.

When Potter ordered him down, he had felt an invisible hand seem to force his knees to flex, pushing him to the ground. That was embarrassing enough, but then to suffer the silent indignity of his libido trying to make an appearance; which, thankfully, Potter had been unaware of. No one at the school knew of his proclivities; that he leaned heavily towards the submissive side in relationships. Situations didn't always allow for that, but it was a desire that rested deep in his heart. But to have Harry Potter order him to his knees in front of him, literally kneeling at the boy's feet, stirred up dormant fantasies that he hadn't indulged in in quite a while. Despite his vehement dislike of the arrogant youth, he had ages ago acknowledged that the young Potter was turning into an attractive young man. But he never expected anything really to come of those thoughts. Then last night happened. He had sensed the power that rested in the young man and the possibilities open to him. To slip past his shields with nary a blink was astonishing and alluring for the power it took, or the utter lack of power he should say. He was thankful that Potter was a good person at heart, despite the horrid treatment dealt to him by his potions instructor, the boy had refrained from mentally raping him. He had simply requested the same memory he had asked nicely for earlier then once he finished viewing it, he released the mind he held as easily as he had captured it.

Released him and gave his mind ample material for fresh fantasies. Kneeling bound at Potter's feet while the boy tormented him. Detailing how he was going to fuck the ex-Death Eater over the desk in his classroom so every time he sat at it he would remember who he belonged to. Part of him raged at it all. Potter was his student and currently an underage wizard. He was probably a virgin as well. If he knew what was going through Snape's mind, he would blush like mad and run to hide while calling him a pervert.

Shaking his head, Severus looked up as the portrait swung open to admit Minerva and Alastor. They both were startled to find him on the floor and waited as he calmly stood and smoothed his robes. Thankful for the wall behind him, Snape let it support him while vertigo assaulted him. Taking a deep breath, he straightened and unconsciously clasped his hands behind his lower back.

"May I help the two of you?" he asked, not letting his dizziness show.

Minerva looked relieved at the rumbling words. When she saw Severus seated on the floor, she worried that the man wasn't any better than the last time she saw him. "We came to ask you some questions, Severus. Harry Potter has been very adamant in his defense of you, even making assurances that I find hard to believe. We would like your point of view from last night."

Severus raised his eyebrows, wondering what boy-wonder could be saying about him. Obviously that he killed Albus but what else?

"Who or what attacked you and the other Death Eaters?" Moody asked whiled Minerva seated herself in the same club chair that Potter used the night before.

Severus opened his mouth to say Potter but before the air could pass his vocal cords a sharp pain darted across his brain. Sucking in a gasp and grimacing, he rubbed his forehead while squeezing his eyelids shut tightly to control the pain.

"Severus?"

The command from Harry doesn't allow him to speak of the boy or the dragon. Snarling silently to himself, he looked up at the two watching him.

"I didn't see anything," he muttered, moving to sit at the dining table.

A subtle, shadowy pain lingered in his head as if warning him that it would strike again if he put a toe out of line. He was tempted to test his boundaries but not until he had a headache reliever potion nearby.

"Mr. Potter said you killed Albus but that the two of you had arranged it ahead of time because Albus was already dying. Any truth to this?"

Sighing, he nodded, cringing at the double assault of subtle headache pain and vertigo. He sat as still as possible and told them what Dumbledore and he had arranged. He left nothing out; Draco's assignment, Dumbledore's curse and imminent death, the unbreakable vow, everything they wanted or needed to know about what happened. Minerva and Alastor interrupted occasionally to ask questions, all of which Severus answered to the best of his ability.

"Why did you reveal all of this to Mr. Potter, Severus? When I first came to you, you could not speak a word even though Poppy said nothing was wrong with you," Minerva inquired, curious as to what Harry might have done or said to gain the Potion Master's trust.

Severus would have laughed if Minerva knew the half of it. No, he didn't trust Potter; far from it. But he was forced into a situation that required he trust the brat to a degree. At minimum he had to respect the boy's commands.

"He asked it of me," he ground out, feeling a warning thrum shoot through his brain. "I would prefer not to speak of him."

It was just his luck that Alastor wasn't going to let it go. "You've disliked the boy since he first walked in here, Snape. Why would you honestly answer his questions?"

"He-" cringing at the sharp pain, he continued, "He and I have come to an agreement."

Minerva stood, always ready to defend one of her lions. "Severus, what have you done?"

He surged to his feet, causing Alastor to draw his wand. "Me! Why don't you ask that boy what _He_ has done?! Last night he forced me to become-"

The lightheadedness and vertigo almost overshadowed the blistering pain as he choked on the words and his legs crumpled under him. He barely heard the cry from Minerva as his own screams followed him into unconsciousness.

(!)(!)(!)

Harry jolted out of his chair almost like an electrical shock went through him. Hermione yelped in surprise and Ron dropped his book at Harry's sudden action and Hermione's yelp. Staggering for a moment until he regained his balance, Harry kept his arms spread until he felt more confident in being vertical.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as Harry looked around the common room.

A few other students were looking at him oddly after his weird behavior. Given his history, Harry couldn't blame them for being suspicious. He had been silently reading for Charms when something had zinged up his spine and vibrated at the base of his skull. It wasn't painful but definitely noticeable.

"I'm not sure," Harry answered slowly, reaching up to rub at the base of his skull.

Cautiously, he sat back down and picked up his Charms book. He stared at the text but couldn't read the words as he tried to figure out what it was that surprised him. It didn't come close to his scarred forehead; that was feeling dormant for the moment. This new sensation was more like something trying to catch his attention; but what? It was new so what else was new in his life? The dragon certainly was new so maybe it had something to do with the dragon or possibly Snape since they were linked together now. Perhaps he should check on the Potions Master. As much as he had disliked the man, right up until the events of last night even, he couldn't deny everything he had done for Harry since his time at Hogwarts had begun. As strange as it was, he was starting to form some sort of connection with Snape. Both of them were thrust into situations they didn't really care for but felt the best course of action would be to continue on; for the greater good. Snape was a good man at heart; trying to do his best with the horrible situation given to him.

Leaning over, he shoved his book into his bag and stood again.

"I'll be back later guys. I have to check on something."

He ignored the questions from Ron as he hurried towards the portrait. Just as he stepped over the threshold, a Patronus cat bounded to a stop in front of him.

" _Mr. Potter, you are immediately required in the infirmary."_

The smoky cat disappeared with a puff as he started down the hallway. Classes had been suspended due to the Headmaster's death and most of the remaining student body were hole up in their dorms, grieving with classmates. Harry hurried down the quiet halls and towards the infirmary, gripping the strap of his bag tightly. He presumed that he had been correct, the sensation from earlier did have something to do with Snape. Something which most likely landed him in the infirmary. Mentally cringing to himself, he was glad that he had the dragon book in his bag under a concealment charm. He needed to talk with Snape about what had happened; to both of them. Bypassing Mad-Eye at the infirmary doors, the Auror cast a look at him before stomping towards the entry hall. Glancing briefly at the fierce looking man, Harry pushed open one of the double doors and stepped through. The door closed silently behind him, blocking out the noises from the hallway until there was only a very faint humm. The infirmary was empty except for two individuals; one of whom had summoned him here. Snape was a dark mass resting on a bed while Minerva stood silently at the foot, staring at the young Potion Master. Harry moved forward and eased his bag to rest on the bed next to the one that held Snape before stepping up to McGonagall's side.

"You wished to see me, Professor?" he softly questioned, flexing his fingers.

Professor McGonagall turned while motioning for him to follow. They walked to the opposite wall from Snape's bed so they wouldn't disturb the sleeping man but she was able to keep an eye on him.

"Mr. Potter, have you done something to Professor Snape?"

Harry jerked back in surprise at the blunt question McGonagall lobbed at him. He panicked for a moment but age had finally taught him to suppress his first reaction and to gather clues. Suddenly he realized what the sensation from earlier in the common room was; Snape had somehow tried to tell someone about what Harry was or had done. The dragon's bond had punished him for disobeying a direct order and in turn had warned Harry of what happened. It must have happened with McGonagall in attendance and she had witnessed it; whatever it was that happened to Snape.

"I haven't...well, I don't think I have. Why, what happened to him?"

McGonagall cast another glance over at Snape before turning back to her student. "He insinuated that you and he had entered into an agreement with each other. When I questioned him about the details of this, assuming that he was the guilty party, he snapped that '-ask that boy what _He_ has done?! Last night he forced me to become-', and then he fell to the floor screaming. He passed out before Auror Moody and I brought him here. Now, Mr. Potter, I want the truth because if I believe you have attacked a professor, unprovoked, then your time at Hogwarts will be done and charges will be brought once it is clear what Professor Snape was afflicted with."

Harry's legs wobbled unsteadily and his stomach dropped down to his toes. Realizing he had passed one of the most famed Aurors of the Ministry out in the hallway, his face paled further. "Did Moody-Is Moody going to arrest me?"

"Alastor received an urgent summons from the Ministry and has left this issue with me to deal with. He will accept what I tell him," she replied coldly, watching as Harry shakily lowered himself to the nearby vacant bed.

He would have to tell McGonagall. Or he could release Snape from his command and let him tell her. _But that would be the coward's way out_ , his mind whispered to him and he knew it was right. He hadn't really thought that he would have to tell anyone; thought he could hide it. Hell, he was still have trouble believing it.

His head was already nodding in agreement before he even realized it. "I'll tell you, Professor. You and Professor Snape, but only after he's better, and not here in the infirmary. In the Room of Requirement would probably be the best place."

McGonagall eyed him silently, reminding Harry of just how formidable the witch in front of him was. He did not want to get on McGonagall's bad side. With a sharp nod, she walked back to Snape's bed. Harry followed slowly, still feeling like an errant child. A few moments later, Poppy appeared and strode over to her only patient. The medi-witch was brisk with her wand movements, reading the notations on the parchment before nodding, looking over at McGonagall.

"He should be waking soon. I'll leave a headache reducer potion for him which should set him right again. He's also bordering on malnutrition and exhaustion so he needs good food and rest. If he collapses again then I'll need to see him immediately. It might be something more serious that I'm not picking up," she stated as McGonagall shot Harry a sideways look.

Poppy walked away and McGonagall turned to look straight at Harry. "I want this cleared up immediately. Go and secure the Room of Requirement. Once Professor Snape is vertical again, we will proceed there straight away and you can inform us of what is going on. Do not leave that seventh floor hallway, Mr. Potter."

Nodding briskly, Harry grabbed his bag and practically ran out of the infirmary.

(!)(!)(!)

Merlin's balls, his head hurt. Without even realizing it, his hand had come up to press the heel of his palm against his forehead. The pressure helped briefly before a dry warm hand curled under his neck to help support his head and the rim of something was pressed against his lips. Pulling away from the mysterious concoction, a soothing voice reached him.

"It's just a headache reliever, Severus. One of your own making."

Ah, Minerva then. Ceasing his resistance, he permitted the foul liquid and must have made a face at the taste as something else was soon pressed to his lips.

"Just water now. There you go," the voice murmured as he drank before his head was lowered back to the pillow.

Waiting for the potion to take effect, he took stock of his surroundings and quickly came to the realization that he was in the infirmary. He must have badly frightened Minerva then. Ah yes, she was asking about Potter and he couldn't actually answer. Bloody Moody had kept pushing and he had lost his temper. So that's what happens when he plows through and disregards a command like a hippogriff. Headache pain so severe it renders him unconscious. Feeling the pain steadily receding, he hesitantly opened his eyes before cautiously sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Looking up at his fellow professor, he saw the tightly pressed lips and wondered who managed to piss her off.

"Minerva, to what do I owe the delight of being under your watchful eye?" he asked sarcastically, gripping the metal headboard with one hand while pushing himself up to his feet.

The room stayed in one place and he breathed deeply in relief before releasing his grip. Clasping his hands behind his back, he watched Minerva as she watched him for any ill effects from his unconscious state.

"Something happened to you and I think it has something to do with Harry Potter. I want to know what is going on between you two."

Snape grimaced but before he could even form a response, she spoke over him.

"However, I get the feeling that you are unable to speak about it and possibly not even about him. So we will go straight to the source. Please accompany me to Barnabas the Barmy."

Before they left the infirmary, she handed back his wand and her lips twitched in a smile at the gentleness with which he took it back. She started walking slowly away, allowing him time to realize he was actually getting it back. When he caught up to her, they both walked swiftly to the seventh floor. Rounding a corner, they caught sight of Harry Potter leaning against the doorframe of the opened door to the Room of Requirement. Once he saw the two of them coming, he straightened hastily and stumbled before stepping out of the doorway and to the side to allow them entrance. Snape sneered at him which caused the boy to flush before following the two into the room.

The Room of Requirement was spacious with no furniture or decorations. Why the boy wanted to use the room and why there wasn't anything here was odd. Harry pulled the door shut behind them before moving towards his bag which was against the wall.

"Well, Mr. Potter? We're waiting," McGonagall said and the young wizard ducked his head while digging through his bag.

"Hermione, Ron and I have been researching Animagus forms and how to shift. We were making no headway, until I suddenly shifted last night. Afterwards, I found this book that explained most...well, all of what happened," he replied, standing and walking forward to hand a brown leather bound book to McGonagall.

He waved his wand over it and muttered _Finite Incantatem._ The book which started as a Divination textbook, shimmered until a blood red leather cover was revealed. Snape reached out and tilted the book just enough in McGonagall's hands so he could read the spine. There was nothing there and he released his hold to allow the woman to open the book to...blank pages.

"I do not take kindly to jokes, Mr. Potter."

Harry flinched at Minerva's cold tone before clearing his throat. "Section 12.3, Dominus Draco."

The book's pages suddenly fluttered by before settling, still on a blank page. Before either adult could speak, Harry reached out, touching his fingertips to the blank pages and before their eyes flowing words burned onto the pages. Snape looked over McGonagall's shoulder as they both read the pages, finishing near the same time. Looking up, they found that Harry had moved towards the center of the room, his wand loosely grasped in his hand.

Grimacing with a tight smile, he muttered, "Please don't kill me or run screaming."

Harry's form blurred, turning black and slowly growing until a definite shape and unmistakable features were revealed.

(!)(!)(!)

Thank you to everyone that gave me favorited, followed the story or reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Comments make me smile and write faster.


	3. Chapter 3

A dark imposing dragon, as big as the average size house, now stood in front of the two professors, towering over their heads when before there had merely been a normal sized young man. The main horns on the large head, streamed up across the brows and curved back over the beast's crown to end in sharp points, almost glancing off the ceiling as the creature moved. Smaller horns branched off from the jaw line, extending just enough to shield the pulse points in his neck. Fiery green eyes watched the two humans while upper and lower fangs clicked gently against each other as the jaw flexed. A green tint swirled and pulsed over the beast's broad chest; the coloration continuing down the massive body, painting the creature's vertebrae, flanking the row of spikes that ran down the spine and onto the sharpened keratin tipped tail. The black membrane of the wings shimmered beneath the room's lighting as the dragon shifted subtly, claws clicking on the stone.

The dragon's head swung around sharply, his upper body suddenly low to the ground; a hiss escaping the snarling lips while the more armored back was presented instead of its vulnerable underbelly. The black wings arched over the body, single talons curving from the bend of the wing. The tail lashed sharply behind him and the keratin tip scored a nearby wall; the sound like nails on a chalkboard. Snape had drawn his wand and taken several panicked steps back after considering the whole animal. This was what had pinned him out on the lawn.

 _You don't want to do that, Snape!_

The words echoed in Snape's mind and he jerked in shock. Taking a deep breath to cast, he was surprised as his wand was suddenly knocked from his hand. He watched it fly through the air to be caught by...Minerva.

"Calm down, Severus!"

Seeing the wand in McGonagall's grip, Harry folded his wings back against his body and straightened into a seated position. He watched as Snape breathed deeply and struggled to calm himself, sliding down the wall to sit. Moving slowly and debating with himself briefly, the dragon's head snaked towards the book that had fallen out of McGonagall's hands. Lowering his head, he breathed gently across the pages.

 _Thralls._

The book pages fluttered softly, turning themselves and finally settling on the section Harry desired. He had already devoured a good chunk of the data in that book and knew what they would read. Shifting his haunches back, he lowered his upper body and rested his large head atop his forearms. McGonagall was reading over the pages, her frown clearing as she realized what it meant.

"Severus, you need to come and read this. It's a good thing you didn't manage to hex him," she said, shifting the book in her hands.

"What are you talking about?" Snape snarled weakly from his spot on the floor.

"Unless I am mistaken. You are a thrall to Mr. Potter's dragon and if a thrall was to attack his dragon master, it would make what affected you earlier seem like child's play."

Harry's large head jerked up, startled when Snape surged to his feet. The man wobbled briefly before storming over to where McGonagall was standing to read over her shoulder. The dragon pushed his upper body to sitting position again, certain he didn't want to have his head down near the wizard once he read through the information on thralls.

Snape stepped back stunned and trembling with fury, looking between the book and the dragon before turning to Minerva. "I'm enslaved to that beast! To be his toy!"

"Severus, I'm sure Mr. Potter will not abuse his position tow-"

"Like I can trust the boy, Minerva! Everyone in the castle knows of the war he and I have had going on for the past five years. He'll take every chance to strip payment out of my hide and I can't defend myself or retaliate!" Severus yelled, spinning away only to feel the room continue to spin without him.

Minerva gasped as the dragon leapt forward, quickly blurring back into the young man. Harry caught Snape halfway to the ground, wrapping an arm around his waist to help support him. The Potions Master tried to glare but the sickly paleness and beaded sweat on his brow negated any ferocity the glare might have possessed.

"Severus, you should sleep. Poppy mentioned you were exhausted. Mr. Potter can help you to your quarters and you two can talk after you rest," Minerva dictated, closing the book and casting it into the interior of Harry's satchel.

"I can...get to my quarters...on my own," Snape stubbornly replied, despite not having enough oxygen to finish the simple sentence.

 _How can a room spin so much?_ he thought blearily, as the voices of his companions started to echo like he was in a vast chamber.

It took a few moments for him to realize that he was actually moving...or he was being moved. He wasn't aware that he was moving his legs but before he knew it, he was standing in front of the portrait that led to his private rooms. He tried to say the password but his tongue suddenly felt too big for his mouth. Something must have come out because the portrait swung open and he was manhandled inside, directed towards the couch. _Nice couch,_ he mused, relaxing back into the firm yet supple cushions.

(!)(!)(!)

Harry panted softly while looking down at the older man splayed on the couch. On the walk from the Room of Requirement, the professor had continued to babble without making much sense, causing Harry to worry. Professor McGonagall had assured him that it was just exhaustion and the young wizard could understand that. The older man probably hadn't rested since before the Astronomy Tower. Harry had also glimpsed all that Snape had brought upon himself as well as what others had put him through. All this time he had been expected to suffer alone and in silence with no one standing in his corner. Harry understood that quite well. Well, maybe now they could start being in each other's corner. Kneeling on the cushion next to Snape's legs, he carefully opened the man's robes and pushed them aside to reach his shirts. Muttering at the amount of buttons, Harry loosened the top few to ease his breathing.

"Dobby?" Harry softly called to the empty room while pulling off his jumper and tossing it onto a nearby chair.

-POP-

"Master Harry, sir. What can Dobby do for you sir?" the eager house-elf murmured, eyeing the dozing Potions Master.

"Please go to the kitchens and gather a tray of simple yet nutritious foods with some water and juices. Bring it back here for me and be quiet, please," Harry requested as Dobby nodded excitedly and disappeared with a much softer pop.

Taking a deep breath, Harry glanced once more at Snape before going to the small kitchen that was part of the sitting room. Summoning a small dish towel, he soaked it down and wrung it out a bit before returning to dab at Snape's forehead. He wondered for a moment if the urge to take care of the man stemmed from the bond between the dragon and him but he didn't think so. This was just being a good person and helping someone obviously in need. Somehow he thinks that Snape had seldom if ever been on the receiving end of a helpful hand. Harry could sympathise, his life being much the same until he came to Hogwarts and made real friends who would do anything for him. Snape did not appear to have had that luxury. Maybe now with the dragon, that could start to change. The section that covered the bond between _Dominus Draco_ and _Ventus Famulus_ , described rather explicitly that they would be ideally suited for each other. Harry had seen how Snape's eyes dilated suddenly when he was on his knees in front of him and he knew exactly how they would be suited for each other. Probably best to take that slowly.

Muttering a quick thanks to Dobby when he delivered the tray, Harry picked up a glass of juice and brought it to Snape. Bracing one knee on the couch next to the other man, he carefully wrapped a hand around the back of Snape's head and lifted it towards the glass. It took time but eventually he managed to get half a glass of juice into his professor. Gently coaxing a few more sips beyond the thin lips, Harry knew the moment Snape came back to himself. The body that had been slack against the couch went taut in the span of a heartbeat and those lips clamp shut against the liquid slipping into his mouth. Thankfully Harry had only been giving him cautious sips so he didn't spill any when the man jerked away from him and his eyes snapped open. He did spill though when a dark clad arm swept up to knock both him and the proffered juice away. Harry hit the coffee table and felt the table fracture under his weight, landing on the ground and pieces of table. He ignored the destroyed piece of furniture and stared up at Snape; the man was on his feet staring down at Harry with a look of utter fury and hatred upon his face.

Ignoring the pain from his backside, Harry surged to his feet, coming toe-to-toe with Snape and standing his ground against the Slytherin's powerful glare. Harry had learned a lot about himself in the last few years.

"Release me from this bond you've forced on me," Snape snarled, pointing an accusing finger at the younger man.

"I haven't forced you into anything. Our bond could only be formed if both parties were willing."

Snape loomed over him furiously, finding himself slightly impressed that his student didn't cower.

"I was never willing, you stupid boy."

"Subconsciously you were. Or else my dragon wouldn't have identified you as Ventus Famulus," Harry replied, enjoying how close Snape was to him.

Not really caring to stop himself, Harry raised an eyebrow and lowered his gaze to take in Snape's body. Previously he had taken the occasional moment to admire the professor's body, knowing his imagination couldn't do it proper justice. Now he yearned to see it in reality, but knew that would definitely be rushing things. He heard Snape suck in a sharp breath as his body tightened in response to Harry's blatant appraisal. Letting some of his magic bleed through, Harry saw the older man shiver as the energy danced across his skin.

"Kneel for me," Harry purred and felt pleasure roll through him as Snape silently dropped to his knees.

Harry saw the shocked expression on Snape's face at the apparent betrayal of his own body followed by the fear of what it could mean. His hand shot out and grabbed at the back of Snape's neck, his thumb rubbing the pressure point at the base of the man's skull firmly. The man's head dropped forward as endorphins dumped into his system and Harry continued to massage the spot.

"For a Dominus Draco and Ventus Famulus to form a bond, they must have similar interests, similar...needs, and their magic must be compatible. They must also be willing to be bound to the other; I am as bound to you as you are to me," Harry said, feeling the conflict raging through the body beneath his hand.

Harry understood how stressful this was becoming for Snape. His entire view on life and what he thought he knew about one of his students had crumbled to the ground and been rebuilt in a familiar yet unknown image. The older man was still exhausted and emotionally distraught; dangerously close to breaking down and desperately in need of someone to guide him. No matter how he struggled to deny that fact.

Summoning one of the plates with fruit and cheese, Harry held out small pieces of food and fed them to the professor one at a time. He could see the inner war going on behind the dark eyes. Subspace was beckoning with seductive murmurs of the peace and calmness it would provide; but the Potions Master was firmly balking. The thought of submitting to any student was unfathomable...but _this_ student especially. The burning gaze and twitching fingers indicated his struggle against going under while his willing mouth and current position welcomed it. The rest of his body appeared to crave it as well if the state of his erection was evidence enough to judge by.

"Put your hands behind your back for me," Harry murmured, silently thrilled when the action immediately followed the order.

Harry whispered the charm that would bind Severus' wrists together and was rewarded with a deep moan of pleasure at the restriction. Reaching out to the last slice of peach, Harry thrust his thumb into the flesh of the fruit until the sweet syrup covered the digit. Reaching back to Snape's mouth, he ran his thumb over the thin bottom lip, spreading the juice for the eager tongue that darted out to lick. Harry hummed in approval, pressing his thumb more firmly against the lower lip. Just as his thumb slipped into the warm mouth, the fingers of his other hand pushed up into the dark locks from where he had been massaging the base of the man's skull. Scraping his nails along the sensitive scalp, Harry used his thumb to toy with the strong tongue as it lapped at the succulent juice. The dark man's hips started to slowly rock while Harry took it all in.

"How long has it been since you were properly under, my lovely pet?" Harry asked softly, slowly pressing his thumb down against the tongue.

The rest of his hand held the strong chin and jaw so Snape couldn't move away from him; not that Harry felt the man really would at this point. Clenching his other hand around dark strands, he pulled gently at the hair before releasing it to continue dragging his nails.

Snape's dark eyes were lost behind fluttering eyelashes and the haze that began rolling over his expression. The tension slowly started to ebb from the kneeling man under Harry's ministrations, the warm mouth now gently sucking at the constant presence of his thumb while the hands at his sub's lower back had finally eased into a relaxed curl. The question seemed to reach the brilliant mind at last as dark eyes slowly drifted up Harry's chest to look into his face. Harry easily read the answer in the unspoken and desperate need etched across Snape's face.

"You are mine to take care of now and I will see to each and every one of your needs," he murmured, pressing harder on the tongue so that saliva started to trickle down his palm.

"I wonder what kind of sub you are. What is it you like...Severus?"

Harry hissed the man's name and felt the resulting shudder. "Do you like the sharp pain that skirts the edges of divine pleasure? To be treated like a whore and made to beg for the cock you crave? Or merely to be bound and used for my pleasure as I see fit? Would you like that? To be unable to move while I rim your arsehole with my tongue until you're sobbing and pleading to orgasm."

Harry took in his thrall's various responses to the prompts, filing them away for later evaluation. The stuttering thrusts of narrow hips and the soft moans vibrating around Harry's digit were the hints that Snape just needed one more small push to thrust him deep into subspace and a blinding orgasm. Keeping the pressure in his mouth, Harry slid his other hand from Snape's hair, gliding down the pale throat and over the broad shoulder then down the lean chest in front of him. Knowing it would be wrong to push this too far when they hadn't really talked, Harry chose the safest and quickest route to get Snape to rest.

"While I'm rimming you, I'll stop occasionally and spank your perfect arse. Get it nice and rosy before I fuck you, making sure you'll feel it every time I thrust into you. Would you like that?"

Harry could see the taut globes of Snape's arse flex hard at his words and received a shaky nod before his thumb was sucked harder. The dark eyes were already hazy and unfocused when Harry leaned down.

"Come for me," he growled next to the man's ear, pinching one nipple hard through the fabric of the shirt while he pressed down on the tongue at the same time.

The suction increased sharply as the man jolted and groaned, his orgasm racing through him. Harry watched the aftershocks ripple through Snape's body, stepping closer so the sub could sag against him now that he was spent, his torso flush with Harry's legs. Heavily panted breath brushed across Harry's skin from the loose mouth while he listened to the soft kittenish whimpers. His thumb was gently lapped at as his free hand came up to gently card through the thick hair, keeping the head pressed against his hip.

"Yes, good boy."

(!)(!)(!)

It was bliss. All of his worries and concerns melted away until he wasn't remotely aware of them any longer. Calmness surrounded him and soft static noise filled his head, muffling any other thoughts that might intrude. Finally, someone could take over...take care of him for once; something that hadn't happened in years.

"Yes, good boy."

The praise rippled over and through him, acting as a balm on some of the deep hurts that had accumulated after many years. Hurts that had been inflicted long ago and left to fester, left to slowly infect his very soul until it was in tatters. He basked in the praise, not caring where or from whom it was originating. No one had been able to take him under this quickly or deeply in years. The scent of his Dom curled around him, wrapping him in a tight cocoon of safety and comfort. The firm presence of the thumb in his mouth slipped away and he mewled sadly at its loss.

"Stand up for me, boy."

His legs flexed and a moment later he was standing, his head bowed and hands still bound behind him. A firm hand stroked down his spine before resting gently over his hands. The warm hand briefly squeezed both of his before urging him forward. He walked slowly, feeling like he was moving through pudding as he was directed to another room. The buzzing noise in his head remained constant as his bonds were released and strong hands started to remove the clothing from his still body. A steady stream of verbal praises rained down on him and he soaked them up until he could barely stand from the weakness in his knees. His master cleaned him up before tucking him into a prewarmed bed. Fingers carded through his hair while he slowly blinked against the encroaching unconsciousness.

"Rest, boy. Just rest. We'll talk later," a soft voice reached him and he sank into the inky darkness.

(!)(!)(!)

Harry transfigured a book into a small ottoman and slouched just enough in his chair to put his feet up comfortably. The chair he sat in was placed by the foot of the bed so he could easily watch Snape as he slept. Dimming the lights, Harry slipped his hand closest to the bed beneath the covers, wrapping loosely around the delicate ankle of the man in the bed. Despite Snape being asleep, Harry knew that the skin to skin contact would be important both to Severus the sub and to the man himself. Seems both he and Snape had grown up lacking delicate, friendly touch so they relished it when it was given. Snape was so deeply asleep that he hadn't even twitched when Harry moved the chair or slipped his hand under the covers to touch him.

Every once in awhile he would feel Snape's pulse to ensure the man still rested comfortably, but it was always slow and steady indicating the deepest stages of sleep. Though calm on the outside, Harry's mind was racing with scenarios of what he was going to do once Snape woke up. His inner dragon was urging him to guard, protect and sooth his _Ventus_ at the same time he was thinking over what he was going to do about the Horcruxes.

Sighing, he dropped his head, rubbing his forehead with his left hand. The warm skin under the fingers of his right hand helped ground him as he thought through his options. The only people that knew about the Horcruxes were Ron, Hermione and himself, and none of them had any idea how to start searching for the items or where they might be located.

"Dobby."

The elf appeared a moment later with a soft pop and looked up at Harry with wide eager eyes.

"Yes, Harry Potter sir, you called for Dobby?"

"In my trunk is a locket with an 'S' on it. Please bring it to me. But let no one see you take it," he directed softly. The elf frantically nodded.

In less than five minutes Harry was looking at the supposed Horcrux. He expected something that contained so much darkness to exude that evil to its surroundings but it felt like a normal locket; cold when he touched it but warming from his body heat. Forcing his thumbnail under the clasp, he popped the lid open while pressing the locket against his thigh. A pale square of something tumbled into his lap and he glanced at it briefly before looking back at the locket. The interior was only faded and worn velvet, nothing remarkable; more to the point, nothing Horcrux worthy. Placing it on the arm of his chair, he picked up the square, quickly realizing by texture it was parchment. Unfolding it with one hand was difficult but eventually he smoothed it flat over his thighs and read the flowing script. His grip on Snape's ankle tightened briefly while reading the note, prompting a soft mumble from the man under the covers. Releasing his hold, Harry soothed the man gently, watching to ensure that he didn't wake.

This wasn't a Horcrux; a copy of the actual Horcrux-yes, so at least he knew what it would look like. And _RAB_ had taken it. Destroyed it maybe? Harry could only hope so but he doubted it. If Voldemort had made it so difficult to reach them, then he wouldn't have made them easy to destroy. Sighing, he rested his head against the back of the chair and watched the man in the bed still unconsciously rubbing his thumb over the warm flesh.

(!)(!)(!)

Taking a deep breath, Severus held it a moment before slowly releasing it while he burrowed deeper into the warm covers. His senses came back with the speed of a slug and he reveled in how well rested he felt. The aches that he had previously thought of as permanent were now gone; his mind felt clearer than ever. He was relaxed and at ease until he realized that someone was holding his ankle. Before he could think better of it, he flexed his leg and felt a corresponding squeeze but then the constriction disappeared. His eyes popped open and it took a few moments for him to focus on the blur sitting near the bottom of his bed. It was Potter.

The two men stared at each other until Potter dropped his gaze to look at something in his hand. Pulling out his wand, he waved it at the ottoman Snape was unfamiliar with then reached for the more easily recognized book it now had become. Standing, he set the book on the nightstand before looking over at Snape.

"Please meet me in your sitting room once you're dressed. We've things to discuss."

Sending the chair back to its original location, he turned and left the bedroom, leaving the door open part-way behind him. Snape blinked in surprise at the calm request before lifting the covers to see what he was clad in. That brought back memories of why he was currently in the bed; the blankness that was subspace for him.

Throwing back the covers and swinging his legs to the side of the bed, he was surprised at how loose his joints felt. Once he stood, he stretched, feeling his spine pop in several places as it straightened and elongated. The taut muscles had kept his body from performing at its optimal level. Shaking his head, he quickly summoned fresh clothing and reached for a robe before pausing. Given what had happened the night before, he felt wearing a robe might be a bit formal. He wore black trousers and a simple white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and socks; one must always wear socks in a dungeon. Leaving his bedroom and entering the sitting room, he stopped, taking in the never before seen image. A fire was burning brightly in the fireplace and Potter sat in one of the large plush chairs, sipping a cup of tea like this was a regular occurrence. His verdant green eyes darted up to meet Severus' dark gaze before dropping to a nearby chair then looking back to the tea service placed on the center table.

Potter's legs were crossed and instead of his free foot jiggling in nervousness, it hung still. The only movement from the man were his hands, simply raising his cup and tilting it just enough to take a sip of the steaming liquid. This was a man who was comfortable and confident in his position. Snape tried to temper the small shiver that threatened to dance up his spine. That had always been a weakness of his; someone who was confident of their standing and knew how to show it. Someone who was powerful but didn't flaunt it and by not flaunting it became that much more attractive to him.

None of that was visible to the outside observer as Snape sat and helped himself to a cup of tea. The silence between them wasn't comfortable but it wasn't as awkward as it could have been. Potter didn't look away from his tea so Snape looked his fill, observing the young man at length. He wasn't gloating or even commenting on his actions from the night before; there was no trace of smugness on his face which Snape had actually expected to see.

"Potter, what a-"

"What do you know of Horcruxes?"

"Wha-" Snape's voice caught in his throat and his hand twitched sharply, rattling the cup against the saucer.

Snape's mind raced while he tried to figure out what to tell Potter. Should he divulge the conversation with Dumbledore? Share the knowledge that Harry was a Horcrux himself? Was he so confident in that assumption that he could inform the young man he was raised to be a sacrificial lamb? Protected, only to die at the right time? How could he be so rattled, to allow Potter to shock him twice in the same day. Harry reached forward, setting down his cup and saucer before leaning back and rubbing his jaw.

"Voldemort created seven Horcruxes; or at least, I believe he created seven. It's an important and powerful number, also Voldemort's always been big on symbolism making that number a far more likely choice. I need to hunt these Horcruxes down and destroy them before I can kill Voldemort."

He looked over at Snape and let his gaze roam over the older man's body. A flush spread up Snape's neck but he didn't look away when Harry finally looked him in the eyes.

"I had originally planned on hunting them down with Hermione and Ron, but...given recent developments, that may not be the best idea," he said, raising his eyebrows slightly at Snape.

Severus snarled in reply, "If you think, for one moment, that I'm going to chaperone you three children on a dysfunctional camping trip, y-"

"Silence."

Snape's voice suddenly disappeared and he snarled silently at the insolent child seated in front of him.

"If you wouldn't keep jumping to conclusions like you have a bad habit of doing, I would have explained that I intend to leave Hermione and Ron behind."

That caused Snape to pause his mental rehearsals for the verbal lashing he had planned to give Potter as soon as he could speak again. Staring at the young man seated across from him, he took a deep breath and decided to listen to what Potter was actually saying instead of assuming. He did have a bad habit of jumping to conclusions; he knew this. It had saved his life multiple times, following a person's words or actions to their logical outcome and seeing that his life might soon be in danger.

Harry leaned forward, pressing his elbows into his knees as he looked up at Snape.

"Before I rescind my order, I want to say something. I want you to really listen to me and then think it over, hopefully it will finally sink in properly. I am not my father. I never knew the man, so any similarities you see, think you see or infer are solely from genetics. I know he was a bully to you, as were several of his friends; my Godfather being one of them. I am not a bully, I do not like bullies; I was bullied by my Aunt, Uncle and cousin all my life growing up. I do not tolerate bullies," he said firmly, holding Snape's somewhat surprised gaze with his own fierce one.

He took a deep breath, holding it briefly then releasing it slowly before speaking again. "I would like to continue what we did earlier. I enjoyed it and I'd like to believe that you enjoyed it as well."

Here Snape flushed slightly even though he wasn't happy about the visible proof of his reaction and thoughts. Yes, he had enjoyed the scene earlier and how easy it had been to slip into subspace with Potter as his Dom. He bit his bottom lip, fantasizing about all the scenes they could do together and what delicious sensations the Potter boy might be able to wring out of him. Should he take the leap of faith and pray the boy didn't want to humiliate him? Yet, here he sat, watching him with calm and serious eyes; no mocking or humour.

Remembering he couldn't speak, he nodded.

A small smile of pleasure twitched on Potter's lips before he nodded. "I would like permission to call you by your first name, in private only. You may call me Harry or whatever you would like, as long as it is not my surname in any form; again in private. While in public we would still retain respectful titles as usual."

Snape raised his eyebrows before Potter flushed briefly, retracting the order for silence.

"I would...be very amenable to that...Harry."

The first name of his formerly most hated student felt odd rolling over his tongue. He was unsure if it was because he had never used the boy's first name before or if it had something to do with the dragon and thrall relationship. Perhaps, in time, he would find something more fitting.

(!)(!)(!)

Thank you everyone for all the lovely comments, reviews, favorites and follows. They have seriously blown me away and squeal a bit at work when I read them. My overwhelming thanks and appreciation to MyFirstistheFourth for proofing my work and ensuring that it doesn't suck. She's awesome people! Thanks again and hope everyone enjoys!


	4. Chapter 4

Harry and Severus moved through the silent halls of Hogwarts. Every once in awhile they would hear the soft sniffles that attested to the presence of ongoing tears but it was quiet overall. Those students that hadn't already been rushed home were waiting for the funeral that afternoon before taking the Hogwarts Express back to King's Cross. No one knew if they would see each other the next year or not. With the death of Dumbledore and the current political climate, the school's future and curriculum were in question.

On the outside Snape looked as imposing and cold as normal, but Harry could feel the undercurrent of anxiety that wasn't originating from himself. He could understand it though. If things had played out differently, Snape would be with Voldemort and the Death Eaters; being hailed as the wizard that bested Dumbledore. But now, he was in a situation that he hadn't anticipated. Still within the walls of Hogwarts and walking free at that; not locked away in a dark hole with the broken remains of his wand at his feet.

"You should stay near me during the meeting. I'm not sure who is going to be there and I don't know what Minerva may have told them. Someone may try and take-"

"Revenge for killing Dumbledore. I can take care of myself," Snape replied flatly, his usual snarkiness absent.

Harry stopped and reached out to grip the older man's sleeve to halt his progress, turning him so they faced each other. "But you shouldn't have to. You followed Dumbledore's orders, as unforgiving as they were. You are loyal to our side. I'll let you defend yourself against physical attacks but I won't stand by without helping if I can. That also includes verbal attacks. We're together in this, Severus."

He wanted to be angry at the youth's casual use of his forename, yet instead of annoyance he felt a warmth blossom in his chest. No one had ever stood beside him against attacks; it had always been him against the world. Somehow he suspected that Harry wasn't doing this just because of the bond between his dragon and thrall. But he couldn't be sure. Was it the dragon's urges that were driving the young man? He would have to go slow and observe; actions did speak louder than words.

"Thank you...Harry."

The young wizard smiled briefly, squeezing Snape's arm before releasing him. The two continued towards Dumbledore's office, the silence between them just a bit less tense than before. The gargoyle stepped aside once they neared to allow them passage before moving to guard the access point again. Voices were coming from the partially opened door and Harry didn't pause in pushing the door open. He felt Snape step up just behind his left shoulder, giving his Master's right arm freedom to draw quickly if the situation called for it. Harry was suddenly reminded of how long Snape had been a spy and put his life in danger, having to walk that precarious line. Immediately assessing a situation and the risks involved, especially if he was the center of attention; which he seemed to be at that moment.

Various harsh glares were directed towards him, causing the Potions Master to shift infinitesimally closer to Harry's back and the subtle comfort it offered. The glares wavered between outright hostility and suspicion to blatant pity and disappointment. Part of him wanted to cower behind Harry while the other part wanted to start slinging curses at the blathering fools.

"I still say he should be dragged to Azkaban and left there to rot. I'll be happy to do it myself," Moody growled, pointing his wand at Snape.

"We've already talked about this, Alastor," Minerva snapped, the Auror still grumbling beneath his breath as he lowered his wand.

Harry restrained the snarl that threatened to erupt from his throat at Moody's aggression towards his thrall. _My thrall_ a voice rumbled deep in Harry's mind as he glared at the offending wizard. Agreeing with his inner dragon, Harry tightly nodded at Hermione and Ron but ignored the vacant chair near them. Opting instead to stay near the wall with Snape at his shoulder, Harry reached back and curled his hand around the lower curve of Severus' arse cheek, feeling the man twitch at the intimate touch. He made no movement to remove Harry's grip though.

Minerva seemed to be the only one not concerned about where the new arrivals decided to stand or the fact that they stood together. She turned her fierce gaze back to the other Order members in the room.

"As all of you know, Headmaster Dumbledore is gone. I will only say this once so pay close attention. It was a mercy killing discussed ahead of time between the Headmaster and Professor Snape. Professor Snape did it under explicit orders from the Headmaster and it took a great amount of courage to perform the act. The Professor is not to incur any punishments for this act. Understood?"

Harry watched as Professor McGonagall stared down anyone that seemed ready to protest. At the back of his mind he could feel the anxiety rolling off Snape in waves and in turn he sent back soothing thoughts; he wasn't completely sure if it was working but he hoped it was.

"At any rate, we're not here to discuss Professor Snape's actions. We are here to discuss what Voldemort's next move might be and how best to counteract it. Severus, what was the last intel you heard while spying?"

Professor Snape cleared his throat quietly before moving forward a step. Harry's hand slipped from his arse and didn't reach for anything else. For a brief moment, he felt unmoored and alone but the soft clearing of a throat reminded him that Harry was just behind him guarding his back. Straightening his spine just that bit more, Snape delivered the fierce glare that he was best known for.

"The Dark Lord is gathering as many forces to his side as he can. While doing that, he'll start to quietly and slowly infiltrate the Ministry. He'll put members close to his inner circle in positions of power so when he does publically claim the Ministry as his, it'll be a formality only because he'll already control the Ministry at every level. The same thing will happen with the newspapers. Articles will be written against the Headmaster and what he stood for as well as ones against...Mr. Potter. Every attempt to mask or discredit the truth will be made."

Here Severus tilted his head just enough to see Harry from the corner of his eye. Firming his resolve he continued, turning his gaze forward again.

"Mr. Potter will become target number one but the Dark Lord won't make an outright move against him. He'll first attempt to turn public opinion against him while trying to keep a close eye on his movements. When he attempts to kill Mr. Potter, he'll do it publically with as many witnesses as possible to dispel any rumours that might arise later."

"Which is why," Harry stepped forward, "we need to leak rumors to misdirect Voldemort and the other Death Eaters as much as possible. I can't clarify or explain but Professor Snape and I are going to leave for a while. There are things we need to...take care of before doing anything else to finish the war."

Several people interrupted at that and Harry simply waited them out until it was quiet again. Hermione and Ron were watching him intently, surprise evident on their faces. They knew what Harry was going after but it had been understood that they were going with him to hunt down the objects. That was what they had been planning all this time. Harry shook his head slightly and they took their cue to keep quiet, knowing that they would speak later.

"Somehow it needs to be leaked that Professor Snape is dead or permanently incapacitated and I'm missing or gone into hiding. We can't have Death Eaters hunting for us at every turn," Harry said looking around at his friends and former professors.

"Is there anything else we can do, Harry?" Arthur asked, most of his family nodding their helpfulness.

Harry glanced over at Snape, seeing his reflection in the dark eyes before replying to Arthur. "Keep the Death Eaters and Voldemort distracted the best that you can and do it safely. Once we've finished what we have to do then we'll be in touch."

Both Severus and Harry could see that everyone wanted to ask more questions but they couldn't say anything without risking the information getting out. Both realized that Voldemort wouldn't have made finding and destroying his Horcruxes easy; trying to find them and destroy them while Voldemort knew what they were doing would be near to impossible.

The large group broke off into several smaller groups to discuss plans. Ron and Hermione made for Harry who still stood by the wall with Snape by his side.

"Stay calm," Harry whispered from the corner of his mouth as he watched his two friends advance.

He knew he would have to act as a buffer between Ron and Severus. The two personalities clashed so horribly that there would always be sparks between them. As they neared, Harry watched as Hermione subtly cast a _Muffliato_ to surround them. Severus flinched in surprise next to him and Harry saw the man swallow tightly and wondered what he knew about the charm.

"What's going on, Harry?" Hermione asked quickly, glancing briefly at Professor Snape who was watching the room's other occupants.

"Hermione, there have been some new developments and I've decided it's better that Professor Snape accompanies me while I search for the Horcruxes. You and Ron will be safer here."

"Safer here? Are you mad?" Ron asked vehemently, shooting dark glares towards Snape.

"Yes, Ron. Anywhere that I'm not is going to be safe. Voldemort is going to be more concerned with taking over the wizarding world before focusing on one school especially since his biggest rivals won't be here. Keep your heads down until the right time," Harry replied and saw a dark look fall over Ron's face.

"Oh, the right time being when _he_ betrays you and drags you to his Dark Lord to be tortured and killed. That's all he's good for, Harry," he snapped, jerking his head towards Snape.

Severus was about to sharply reply when Harry moved to stand between Ron and himself, now glaring at the ginger.

"Leave off him, Ron. There are things you don't know about; things that I'm not going to tell you until much later. Just trust me when I say that Professor Snape and I have come to an understanding and we're going to be working together on this," Harry growled softly as Hermione put a calming hand on Ron's forearm.

"We're just concerned, Harry. This is completely different behavior than we've seen from you or from Professor Snape for that matter," Hermione said, again casting a look towards Snape.

Wanting to charm the know-it-all witch and her ginger sidekick silent, Snape snarled before verbally snapping, "Mr. Potter is a grown and powerful wizard who has been through more than anyone his age should even have to think about. Don't blame him if you can't keep up or accept that he doesn't need his dawdling friends every waking moment."

Hermione gasped at Snape's sharp words but Ron flushed darkly while grinding his teeth.

" _Harry,_ needs his friends. Not a greasy potions professor whose only joy in his pitiful life is tormenting his students."

Snape sneered silently, refusing to let this boy see how his comments bothered him. Those sort of comments didn't used to but now they sent a dark chill through him. He knew he wasn't the most attractive of individuals and his personality was caustic at best. Before it was only him that was affected by such statements but now he had Harry. He worried how they might change Harry's view of him. Would those cruel words turn the young man's gaze away to more youthful flesh?

"What he needs are strong allies that support him and are capable of guarding his back during battle instead of dragging him down like a dead weight."

Snape had to give it to the young Weasley; when his blood was up he was fast with his wand. The willow wand was pointing at Snape's face for one moment before it was suddenly pointing towards the ceiling. A hand was wrapped around the clenched fist and another hand was wrapped around the youth's throat. A growl that had no place coming out of a human's throat rumbled from the body standing in front of Snape. His gaze dropped in surprise and he felt an odd fascination wash over him as he saw black scales start to creep up Potter's neck from under the shirt collar. Shifting his gaze to the hand wrapped around Weasley's throat, he could see the nails start to elongate and shape into claws. A subtle urge to kneel, that came in response to the power behind the dragon, washed over him but he knew he couldn't submit.

Stepping closer to Potter's back, he gently wrapped a hand around the shadowed curve of the his master's rib cage where neither of his friends could see. Squeezing gently, he dropped his head so his lips were near the delicate ear.

"Potter, stand down. He won't harm me. He's your friend," he whispered, feeling a small tremor under his hand.

The head turned sharply to look at him and Snape straightened to observe his dragon master. The wizard's pupils had shifted from round to slit like but what surprised the Potions Master the most was when the aggressive expression changed to one of fear. That was when he realized something. Harry Potter was just as frightened by what was happening between the two of them as he was; scared of what he was becoming.

So far they hadn't attracted any undue attention from the others in the room but McGonagall had noticed that something was going on. Snape could see her in his peripheral vision, keeping everyone's attention on her but it wouldn't last for long. Especially if Harry shifted fully into his dragon form; they would be hard pressed to hide that. Ron had stilled at the grip around his throat and was waiting to see what would happen. Hermione was tugging at Harry's arm but his attention was on Snape at his side.

"Leave him be," Snape whispered. The next moment Ron was free, staggering back from the two men as though they were strangers.

Without sparing the other two a glance, Snape wrapped an arm around Potter's shoulders and steered him out of the office quickly. They moved swiftly through the halls, down to the dungeons and back to Snape's quarters. Once the door sealed behind them, Snape found himself pinned to the door with a pale face buried in his neck. A shuddering breath was released against his flesh as his hands started to rub the taut back.

"Severus."

The word was whimpered and the older man suddenly realized this wasn't just the one sided relationship he had originally thought. Harry may be the Dom in the relationship but he also wanted someone to lean against. Someone to occasionally take care of him and put him first; someone he could drop the mask with. Wrapping his arms around the trembling body, Snape squeezed tightly and pressed his cheek against the disheveled hair.

"I'm here, Harry. We're alright."

He managed to shuffle the two of them over to the sofa and felt the younger man shift closer to straddle his lap as they sat. A strong hand wrapped around his neck and lips descended on his, fierce and domineering. Moaning, he arched into the wandering hand as blood started to gather in his groin. His own broad hands slid down to the taut arse and pulled Harry tighter against him. This was swiftly spiraling out of their control as Harry's hands pawed at Severus' robes, searching for warm skin. Harry's Snitch sensitive fingers made quick work of his clothing and cool air started to brush against Severus' heated skin. Just as Harry thrust a hand underneath the clothing to press under the older man's breast, he released a sharp, ragged breath and stilled his movements. Severus was panting harshly, flexing his fingers tightly against the lovely globes under his hands.

"Har-Harry?"

"What am I doing?"

The words were muffled against the pale skin over his collar bone. The next moment Harry jumped off Severus and stumbled against the far wall, sliding down the stones to sit on the floor. He stared in horror at the rumpled professor on the couch and paled, swallowing tightly against the sudden nausea. Pushing himself tightly against the rock wall, he looked like he wanted to melt through the seams between the stones. Wrapping his arms around his legs, he buried his head against his knees. Severus' lower back spasmed in a painful cramp a moment before he shifted.

"Sorry...I'm sorry for...for molesting you without your consent," Harry muttered and Severus' brows furrowed at the odd statement.

Groaning, he let his head fall back to the back of the sofa and stared at the ceiling for several deep breaths. Once his hard on had eased back to a more manageable level, he struggled to his feet, tearing off his disarrayed robe and vests. He was now dressed only in his trousers and boots, a shiver ran down his torso from the chilled air in his quarters before he shrugged it away. Rubbing his lower back against another painful spasm, he stepped towards Harry.

"You did not molest me, Potter. I wanted it as much as you did," he said softly, moving to try and catch the young man's gaze.

Harry darted to his feet with a snarl. "But how can you know I didn't force you. We don't know what this dragon in me is doing to my actions or how it's influencing you."

The wizard started pacing frantically, hands buried in his hair, tugging occasionally as he muttered to himself. Severus hated himself for it but he was actually concerned for the boy. Both had been forced into an odd set of circumstances and even though they had talked the day before, they hadn't really talked. He was about to speak when his lower back twinged so painfully that he grunted softly and staggered. Muttering to himself, he dug his knuckles into the muscles and wondered where this pain might have come from. He hadn't injured his back as far as he was aware; it didn't start until...oh. He watched as Harry continued to pace, becoming more frantic and realized it must be their connection. The pain in Severus' lower back was an indication that Harry...the dragon...his Master needed him. _I am as bound to you as you are to me._ The building pain must mean the urgency was increasing as well.

"Potter."

The young wizard continued to pace and Severus could see the lithe chest flexing more as he came close to hyperventilating. Stepping closer, he carefully stretched out a hand to hopefully catch Harry's attention.

"Potter."

The name only prompted a sharp jerk of his head and the pain in Severus' lower back sharpened. Growling, Severus advanced and with a sharp motion of his wand banished the youth's robe and shirt. Pressing a hand to the warm skin, he shoved Harry against the wall and followed closely to press their bodies together. The pain in his lower back immediately eased at the skin on skin contact and he looked up at just the right time to see Harry's eyes contract to slit pupils before easing back to round. The frantic tugging at his hair had ceased and it was silent in the room.

"Harry," Severus murmured as his gaze lowered to watch his hand slowly slip down the toned chest.

This was Severus' first time seeing what was hidden under those school robes and he silently admitted to himself that he was going to enjoy being under this exquisite body in the future. The boy's arms were toned with taut muscles from a childhood of working hard. His abs were flat from Quidditch practice. Moaning softly, he dropped his head and pressed lips to the collarbone. He didn't move after that; happy to be mouthing gentle kisses along the available skin. From the corner of his eye he could see Harry's arms lowering until fingers pushed through his thick hair and rubbed at his scalp. Severus wraps his arms around the slim waist, stroking at the warm skin as the two men just enjoyed each other's nearness.

"Severus," Harry sighed, one hand leaving the dark hair to drape over the broad shoulder and stroke along the spine.

Severus moaned at the delicate touch; touches such as these were few and far between for him. The only gentle touches he could recall were from his mother, long since dead, and Albus. He had worried about how long it would be until he felt a gentle touch again. Maybe not until death? Or after? Maybe not even then. Everything would have been done by magic...by an impersonal wand. Banishing those dark thoughts from his mind, he nuzzled at the skin under his lips before slowly straightening; keeping his arms in place so Harry didn't withdraw either.

"Is your dragon calmed now?" he murmured against the brunet hair.

Harry nodded his head against the broad shoulder before reaching down and mouthing gently at the nipple closest to his mouth. He heard a sharp intake of breath above his head as the body under his hands and mouth tensed.

He released the sensitive nub to murmur, "I feel calmer when I'm touching you. Like you are my key to the map of everything."

"As much as I am loath to admit it, there is a bond between us. I am your...paramour, if you will. I can sooth your turbulent emotions and offer counsel. As you stated...we are in this together," Severus replied, rubbing his fingers along Harry's lower back.

"We have a funeral to go to," Harry said as he straightened against the wall, moving to briefly cup the older man's cheek.

Severus nodded and released his grip, hurt at the abrupt shift in topic. He watched as Harry called for Dobby to have the elf bring down his formal robes from the dorm. Then he knelt and spoke quietly to the small elf, apparently giving instructions. The elf disappeared with a soft pop as Harry stood and turned to look back at Severus.

"After the funeral, we're packing and leaving for Grimmauld Place. I'm not planning on coming back to Hogwarts any time after that unless it's for an emergency. Pack whatever potions you feel we might need; Dobby will pack everything else. We'll be at Grimmauld for a day or two, maybe three but then we'll be off again," Harry ordered and Severus found himself nodding, already planning which potions he would take.

He probably should have been shocked at how easily he found himself following the young man's directives. He mulled over this thought as he walked into his bedroom to change into his formal robes. How did this differ from when he served the Dark Lord or Dumbledore? _Because both you are vested in this. Harry needs you as much as you need him._ Jerking his head to the side to banish the inner voice; he couldn't deny it was true, though. The Dark Lord and Dumbledore had used him as a means to an end; not really caring what condition, mentally or physically, he was in at the end of the day or mission. The Dark Lord seemed to prefer torturing him physically, while Dumbledore tortured him mentally; unintentionally, he was sure but it was still a fact. He couldn't easily forget the number of times that he had come back from a cruel meeting with the Dark Lord and once he had heard his report, Dumbledore had left Severus to his own devices. Not once offering to help with the seeping wounds or trembling extremities due to countless dances under the Cruciatus Curse. Nothing else mattered except his grand game against the Dark Lord with _The-Boy-Who-Lived_ as the master chess piece. Recalling what happened in the other room a few moments earlier, his value of himself started to drop as he recalled how easily Potter was able to turn away from close contact with Snape.

Changing robes didn't require any thought so his mind was occupied with measuring his worth to the _Chosen One_. Therefore, he was startled when someone started to help him with the robes. Looking over his shoulders, he found Harry gently brushing his hand down the back of the black robes. Instead of speaking, Severus turned back to face the tall mirror and started to straighten the lines of the robe.

"I can sense when something is bothering you, you know. It's like a humming in my brain. I felt it when you were hurting. I can feel it now and it's similar to what I felt before but...different. That was physical pain, this...this is emotional pain...I think," Harry murmured, slowing the motions of his hands until they were just pressing against Severus' lower back.

"I'm sorry you hate me for all of this Severus. I really never meant for it to happen...for you to be bound to me; however, I'm not saddened by it."

Severus dropped his head slightly, tilting it just enough to glance sideways at his master.

"I do-I don't hate you, Harry. I never did. What I think of you now is so vastly different to what I thought of you seventy-two hours ago that I find I am struggling to understand my standing in regards to you. Do I treat you like you are my Owner and I am your slave? I know I shouldn't treat you as I once did but other than that...I'm floundering."

Severus hated to acknowledge that he was unsure but he was. No one had ever selected him as one to be claimed, ever. Yet here was the beloved _Chosen One_ saying he enjoyed being bound to Severus. Harry stepped closer and gently kissed the nape of his neck.

"You are not my slave, Severus. I am sorry if I have implied something different. You are my confidant and I value your thoughts and emotions. We'll eventually figure it out; figure each other out. For now, treat me normally but without the worst of your biting personality." Harry smirked briefly before sobering. "I know you're a good man, Severus, or else the Headmaster wouldn't have trusted you as much as he obviously did."

 _Wouldn't have trusted anyone else to murder him._ The statement was unspoken between the two. It also suggested that Harry thought he was a good man but he didn't have any experience of his own to verify it. Sighing, he nodded before squaring his shoulders and turning to look at Harry.

"Let's get this funeral over with."

(!)(!)(!)

Severus could feel the glares aimed at him despite standing beside Harry towards the outskirts of the gathering in hopes of avoiding the press of the larger crowd. Most of the Order occasionally shot him dirty looks and while the majority of the student body didn't know exactly what happened, most had seen him running with the other Death Eaters. That he stood calmly next to Harry Potter without spitting vitriol was curious enough for those that were accustomed to it. Weasley and Granger were also glancing at Harry with confused looks but hadn't yet come over to question their friend. Thankfully Harry hadn't left his side since they arrived at the Black Lake of Hogwarts. The grounds were packed with friends, associates and all the other big names of the Magical world. Albus Dumbledore was a well known and popular man. Snape grieved along with the other mourners; Albus had been somewhat of a father figure to him ever since he first came to Hogwarts all those years ago. The relationship had become strained once the Marauders came into being and Severus realized that Dumbledore still favored his Gryffindors over all others. Once he graduated and attained his Mastery in Potions to return and teach, their relationship had improved again. Then came the dreaded prophecy and the death of the elder Potters. That's when he became disillusioned with Dumbledore, realizing the man had a far reaching plan in which Severus was just a pawn.

Feeling Harry bump against his side, he mentally shook himself from the deary thoughts, focusing instead on the eulogy and what potions he was going to pack.

When the funeral ended, a group of Aurors were on hand to escort the student body to the train station. Those whose parents were in attendance departed with their family. Harry and Severus watched most everyone leave. Those left behind were the delegates and officials that had come for the funeral along with various professors and Order members. Hermione and Ron slowly walked up to the two dark haired men while Severus looked down at them and Harry calmed himself.

"Can you give us a moment, Professor?" Hermione asked and Severus was about to turn away when Harry grabbed his arm.

Without looking as his thrall, Harry replied, "Professor Snape will hear whatever you have to tell me."

Hermione glanced at Ron before clearing her throat. Severus appreciated that Harry didn't use his given name in front of his friends but another part of him regretted it. "Alright then. What's the plan, Harry? Do you seriously expect Ron and me to stay behind simply spreading rumors about Professor Snape and you?"

"No, I want you two safe. Keep each other safe and your families," Harry stated before glancing quickly at Severus.

"Voldemort would not have made it easy to find those items. The professor and I together have the best chance of finding them and destroying them. I love you both but neither of you have much experience with the darker magicks," he softly criticized while making the obvious point.

"You have about the same experience as we do," Ron muttered and then flushed when he actually thought about it.

Harry ignored that statement as he reached for Hermione and pulled her into a hug. "I'll try to stay in touch but can't promise anything."

Severus looked the other way and ignored the murmured words. He was uncomfortable with emotional displays, especially when one half was his bonded master. That he was mentally referring to Harry as his master should have enraged him but he found it soothing. He didn't know how long this connection would last so he might as well enjoy it while he could.

He turned back when he heard retreating footsteps. Granger and Weasley met up with Weasley's parents and the whole ginger headed group moved to leave the grounds. Looking at Harry, he was discomfited to see a trail of tears upon his cheeks. Before he could speak though, Harry briskly wiped his cheeks dry to erase any proof of his momentary weakness.

"Harry?" Severus had to vocalize his concern.

The young master shrugged his shoulders while watching the family walk away. "A lot of people are going to die before this is all over. I can't help but worry about the ones that might die...and the ones that might survive."

Severus nodded in understanding. Sometimes being one that survived a war was worse than being one of the dead. He honestly hoped that Harry and his friends wouldn't have to learn that lesson anytime soon. But sadly...he felt he might be grievously mistaken.

(!)(!)(!)

Thank you everyone for being patient with this chapter. I lost the drive about two pages into Chapter 5 and I don't post a chapter until I finish writing the next one. Weird I know but it works well for me. Anyway, here it is and hope everyone enjoyed it. Many, many thanks to MyFirstistheFourth as always for putting up with me and dealing with my craziness. Enjoy ya'll!


	5. Chapter 5

Harry scowled at the floo as he dusted himself off a mere moment before Severus stepped through looking composed and ash free. One day Harry was going to learn how to travel by floo and step out cleanly; both in state of dress and movement. He didn't see the sneer Severus directed at the less than sterile room they had emerged into. Somewhere in the house the sounds of Kreacher and Dobby could be heard arguing, so their belongings obviously arrived with the younger elf.

"Make yourself at home," Harry murmured, brushing a hand down Severus' sleeve before leaving the room.

Harry headed for the Black family library, ideas bubbling through his mind about how to start the hunt. Before the attack on the school, Hermione and he had started researching Horcruxes but could only get so far with the school library. Harry knew the dark history of the Blacks and hoped something might come from looking in the family library. He felt the wards to the room tingle as he neared; acknowledging his ownership of the property and right to access the library. Because of the sensitivity of the materials inside, control of the library was always under the individual that owned the Black home. That individual was now Harry since Sirius had died and left the entirety of the Black estates to him as his heir.

"Dobby."

Harry started to pull books from the shelves when the elf popped into the room in answer to his request. Without sparing a glance for the elf, he carried the books over to a nearby table and set them down before returning to the bookcase to collect more books. These books did not react well to magic being cast on them; even a simple levitation charm.

"Yes, sir. How can Dobby help Harry Potter?"

"Severus Snape is in the house as my guest, please keep an eye on him and notify me if he needs me. I'll be in here doing research," Harry ordered as he returned for another stack of books.

"Yes, Sir," Dobby replied and popped out again.

Once Harry had a good collection of tomes, he also pulled out his dragon book and set it on the table. Settling into his chair, he held his hands out and looked over the large expanse of books in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the first book and started skimming.

~Six hours later~

Tossing the quill aside, Harry leaned back in the chair and rubbed his forehead. The table was now scattered with parchments with spiderwebs of diagrams drawn on them. Several words were circled or underlined and those words were starting to blur in Harry's vision. Suddenly realizing he was sick and tired of looking at books, he stood and quickly left the library. The halls were silent and a quick charm informed him that it was a little after midnight; guess he was researching longer than he originally thought.

Making his way quietly to one of the nicer sitting rooms, he ignited the fire and sighed as he sank into one of the deep chairs and closed his eyes. With his vision cut off, he focuses on simply breathing, the way his body is feeling and listening to the sounds of the crackling fire. A soft pop and muffled sounds informed him that Dobby had appeared. Cracking an eye open, he saw the elf quietly set a glass of butterbeer and a plate with a simple meal on the small table beside his chair.

"Thank you Dobby," Harry murmured, shifting in the chair until he was sitting straighter. "Do you know where Severus is?"

"Snape sir is tossing and turning in bed. He went to bed a few hours ago. Nightmares, Kreacher and I believe," the elf said softly.

"Did he eat?"

Dobby's ears flopped with his extravagant nodding.

Harry thanked the small elf and dismissed him while reaching for the plate. While eating, he mulled over whether he should go and wake Severus. He hated when anyone saw the aftermath of his own nightmares so he doubted the serious Potions Master would want his student bearing witness to his either. Harry also knew the older man still wasn't entirely comfortable with their new relationship and didn't want to intrude on his privacy; giving him time to acclimate himself. Chewing slowly, he propped the plate on his thigh while staring at the fire. He did vow to take care of Severus' every need, especially emotionally.

Finishing his food quickly and drinking some of his butterbeer, he set aside the plate and glass as he began to stand. Just then a soft sound caught his attention and he turned to look. Severus stood in the darkened doorway, clad in black silk pajama bottoms and a similarly inky black robe. His pale chest stood out starkly against the black fabric and surrounding darkness, the only light in the room coming from the fireplace. The two stared at each other as Harry slowly eased back into the chair. Severus seemed unable to decide whether to advance into the room or retreat.

"May I join you?"

Harry nodded but instead of Severus advancing to the chair opposite to him, the wizard walked forward to stand by the chair Harry sat in, fumbling awkwardly with the belt of his robe. Realizing quickly what he wanted, Harry grabbed a nearby decorative pillow and enlarged it before setting it by his feet. Almost as if the strings holding him up were cut, Severus folded in on himself and knelt on the thick pillow. Shifting himself, he rested on his right haunch to lean against Harry's legs; resting his head atop the youth's knee. Smiling at how right it felt, Harry threaded his fingers through Severus' hair and felt the man relax against his leg. Every time he scraped his nails against the scalp or tugged gently at the dark hair, the older man would sag more deeply against him. Resting his head back, Harry allowed his eyelids to close again, savoring the warmth from the fire and the man under his hand.

Severus was also savoring the moment. Time seemed to drag interminably when he had been left to his own devices. Grimmauld Place was empty and silent; similar to his own dungeons but lacking the same comfort. In his mind this house was enemy territory; a place where he always had to guard his back, thoughts and words. After eating a meal alone, he had wandered the darkened rooms and eventually found a well worn novel forgotten on a side table. Reading had occupied him for a short time before his solitary existence in the room became too much. On one hand it bothered him how much he had come to need his young Master's nearness and physical presence. While on the other hand, he enjoyed knowing that there was someone who firmly stood by his side; not to mention someone who could put him firmly on his knees. Going to bed, hoping to sleep the night away, had been a futile exercise. It had now been seven hours since seeing his Master or feeling his touch and it seemed he was craving it. While staring at the dark ceiling, he had suddenly felt the connection to his dragon tingle, driving him to his feet and out of the room with his robe in hand before he fully realized he was moving.

Following the building strength of the tingle, he eventually saw orange light in the hallway coming from one of the sitting rooms. His Master had been seated in a chair by the fire but looked to be in the process if standing when he sensed Severus' presence.

Now, seated at the youth's feet with strong fingers carding through his hair, the insistent restlessness had faded. The house was no longer threatening his sanity. Hearing Harry sigh above him, Severus turned his head slightly and nuzzled the denim clad knee.

Harry smiled softly and gently tugged at the dark locks between his fingers. "What are you thinking of, my Ventus?"

 _Ventus, latin for Favorite. Harry just called me his favorite,_ Severus thought and a purr escaped from his throat. Normally he wouldn't be able to tolerate being on the floor like this, neither physically nor emotionally; but after being in subspace under Harry just one time, his body felt twenty years younger. Feeling a tug again, he pulled his mind back from the initial void and strove to answer.

"I was thinking of this house, Dominus."

"Good boy," Harry murmured in response to the term. "What about it?"

Severus shrugged a bit, raising his head from its resting place against the knee. He looked around but didn't move enough to dislodge the hand in his hair.

"This house has...degraded from what it was like during the height of the Black family. I...do not have good memories of this house."

Harry straightened in the chair and moved forward to look down at the dark head by his side. Cupping the pale cheek, he tilted the head to look at him.

"Care to explain?" Harry asked with a smirk, finding it difficult to envision Severus in the Black house often.

"I was...acquainted with another of the Black brothers. We met a few different times during the holidays to go over classwork. He was a few years ahead of me so I only knew him briefly."

Severus withdrew a bit from Harry as the conversation hinted at turning in a direction he wasn't very comfortable with. Despite his quasi-friendship with Regulus, he couldn't say that he had been friendly with anyone during his school years. The young man had regretted his younger brother's attitude towards Severus and attempted to extend a tentative friendship.

"So who was your mysterious Black friend?"

"Regulus Black."

Harry murmured but his hand in Severus' hair slowed as he stared blankly at the face of his thrall. Behind the blank expression his mind was suddenly racing as a spark ignited. Sirius had commented once that Regulus had become a Death Eater but didn't say anything about it afterwards. It seemed soon after that Regulus Black had disappeared. While Harry stared at Severus, he suddenly remembered that initially Severus had been lured by Voldemort touting blood purity before realizing what all that entailed. Did Regulus have the same realization? Perhaps, subsequently hunting down the locket Horcrux?

"Dominus?" Severus asked, concerned when the young man's face had gone blank.

"RAB...Regulus Black could fit those initials," Harry murmured, staring through Severus before surging to his feet and running from the room.

Only a moment later, Severus was running after him, a frisson of excitement thrumming through the bond from his Dom. Not seeing where Harry had gone, he followed the intensity of the bond, eventually finding him on a lower floor in a large room with a tapestry hanging on the wall. Harry was kneeling near the far end of the tapestry, tracing his fingers along the woven fibers.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, RAB and they don't have a date for his death."

As Severus watched, Harry stood and pulled out his wand. A moment later a gold locket came flying past Severus, smacking into Harry's hand.

"Kreacher!"

The summoned elf popped into the room. Harry didn't give the surly elf time to spout his venom, knowing well how the old elf would act.

"Bring me something of your former master, something of Regulus', that has his hand writing. Now," Harry ordered, moving towards a nearby table while opening the locket.

The elf mumbled darkly under his breath before popping away again. Severus was extremely confused now. Harry was focused on the locket but eventually seemed to realize that Severus was standing near him.

"That night, on the Astronomy Tower, the Headmaster and I had just gotten back from collecting a Horcrux. This Horcrux," he said and held up the locket after pulling out a folded square of paper.

"I learned later that it had been a Horcrux but the real one had been replaced with a duplicate and that's what Dumbledore and I had retrieved. The person who did it left a message and signed it 'RAB'. Now I found several families that have a last name beginning with 'B' and some even with a member whose first name starts with a 'R'. I was hoping that it was initials and not some nickname," Harry babbled, showing the note to Severus.

Once the older man took the piece of parchment, Harry hurried to the family tree to point out the elder Black son. "You mentioned Regulus. His initials are RAB, he was a Death Eater, one of Voldemort's inner circle since he was of the Black family and then he just disappeared."

Severus nodded slowly as Kreacher popped back into their presence and handed Harry a battered leather bound notebook. Harry slapped it onto the desk and opened it to a random page.

"Harry, I understand the need to locate these Horcruxes but even you must realize that you are reaching. The-"

"It was Regulus," Harry breathed, leaning over the open pages.

"What?" Severus snapped in surprise.

He swooped forward to stand by Harry to read over his shoulder. Holding forward the note, they both looked between the parchment and book evaluating the script. It was unmistakeable; the handwriting was identical. Realizing the implications faster than his young dragon master, Severus refocused his eyes and started reading the words. His eyes widened in shock as he slowly reached forward and moved Harry's hand aside so he could finish skimming the text.

"Harry, read the words...the journal," he murmured, stepping closer to feel the warmth from the other.

Both men read over the words written by a long dead man, detailing how he learned what Voldemort was doing. Learning how his attraction to pureblood fanaticism faded upon seeing the cruelties thrown about by Voldemort. That Kreacher helped the Dark Lord hide the Horcrux and the same elf helped his Master retrieve the locket.

"Severus, do you know what this means? Kreacher knows where it-"

The rest of Harry's words were cut off when from the corner of his eye he saw Severus' left hand convulse a moment before a choking gasp left the Potion Master's lips. His knees buckled and Harry barely caught the man as he started to fall. Seeing the clawed grip over the man's forearm, it wasn't difficult to realize that his mark was burning. Swearing under his breath, Harry lowered both of them to the ground and flinched when a cut off scream burst from Severus' lips.

"Severus! What can I do? Severus!" Harry snapped, trying to catch the man's gaze.

"Potion...dark blue." The rest of the description was cut off as his body tried to jerk away from the searing pain in his arm. He screamed in agony as Harry scrambled to protect his thrall's body as well as his own from the flailing and convulsing actions as the body responded to the ongoing pain. Realizing he had to do something, Harry released his grip on the arms and grabbed Severus' head. Not knowing if he needed the eye contact but wanting it, he used his thumbs to gently pull the clenched eyelids open. He reached out to the bond linking him to his thrall and forced him into deep unconsciousness. In a heartbeat, the body he hovered over slumped to the floor and the room was shockingly quiet other than Harry and Severus' soft panting. Severus' breathing pattern slowed quickly due to his unconscious state, leaving Harry panting and trembling from the sudden dump of adrenaline.

"Dobby, one of Severus' painkiller potions," Harry called out and moment later the elf appeared cradling a potion vial.

Taking the time to gently coax the liquid down, Harry banished the vial before carefully scooping the older man up; the dragon's strength helping him as he carried Severus to his bedroom. In short order, Harry had Severus and himself in bed beneath the covers. Severus' head was pillowed on Harry's chest as the young man read through the journal of Regulus Arcturus Black from front to back. Once finishing it, he set it aside and quietly extinguished the lights to lay in the dark mulling over the words of a man long dead. He trailed his fingertips across the shoulder blade of the man sleeping next to him, trying to decide what their next step might be once dawn came. He was still thinking when he slipped into sleep.

(!)(!)(!)

Severus snuffled and burrowed deeper into the warmth pressing against the length of his body. He sighed before a ripple of tension raced down his formerly relaxed body. This scene was strangely familiar, though instead of a grip on his ankle, he now had fingertips gently trailing up and down his back. This time he felt warm skin brushing against his arm in a steady rhythm and he could feel his hair being ruffled in a similar pattern.

The fingertips slowed before the touch disappeared. "Severus?"

He flinched at the sound of his name before he sat up in bed, instinctively bringing the sheet up to cover himself; realizing he was nude once more. He wasn't really sure why he was acting like a shy virgin but the past few days had been well beyond his norm and he was still struggling to balance himself.

"Severus, are you alright? Is your arm bothering you?"

The older man turned away from his bed companion and flexed his left hand, feeling the muscles stretch and contract. His mark didn't bother him but the crushing sensation of uselessness choked him. He felt like the tag along...the third wheel. He didn't need to be taken care of. He was Severus Tobias Snape, the youngest to achieve Potions Master status, spy against one of the most feared Dark Lords and here he was being coddled by a student. Gritting his teeth, he realized he had to get away from Potter before his emotions erupted.

"I'm fine. Are we leaving today?" he questioned, shifting towards the edge of the bed, looking for his clothing.

"Severus, I can sense something is bothering you. Talk to me, please."

The youth's pleading tone registered but he ignored it. That same pleading also ignited the familiar self-hatred that had plagued him ever since he was a child. A child that struggled to fit in among his classmates but had everything working against him. His frayed and worn robes were a drastic contrast to the bespoke robes worn by families with names like Malfoy, Parkinson, Potter and Black. The harsh teasing and taunting that seemed to always find him; topics ranging from his robe, his study habits, his hair, his nose, the list was endless. He wasn't prepared for the Potter child to witness his shortcomings.

"Severus?"

"I'm fine, Potter. You can reign in your hero complex. I do not need to be saved, nor do I wish it," he snarled, one leg easing out from under the sheet.

Having turned his back to Harry, he didn't see the hand that shot out and gripped a large chunk of his hair. He hadn't really considered the implication of his hasty words until his head was wrenched back and his body was forced to follow. His gasp was strangled as his body scrambled to follow the punishing grip, dragging him back to the center of the bed. He ended up on his knees with his upper body arching backwards towards his feet. The sheet was still clenched against his chest and his gaze flickered up towards the burning green eyes of his Dom.

"Drop the sheet and hold your ankles," Harry snarled, watching as Severus' hands immediately released their hold on the fabric.

Touching different parts of his legs as he worked his hands into position, Severus eventually wrapped his fingers around his ankles and released a shuddering breath. Harry kept the grip on his sub's hair as he pulled aside the sheet, leaning to the side to observe the position.

"Spread your knees more," he growled, no longer a growl of anger but one of predatory sexuality.

A whimper escaped before Harry cut it off with the order of 'Silence'. That order was starting to become common between the two of them. It was quiet for a few moments while Harry observed the older man, noting the fine tremors that started as the silence stretched on.

"Now, I don't know where this attitude suddenly came from, but I will find out and I will end it. I am going to ask some questions and you will honestly answer them. Clear?"

Despite the tight grip on his hair, Severus nodded, watching the young Dominant. Harry held his gaze for a moment before murmuring a word under his breath. Severus didn't hear it clearly but when his vision suddenly failed, he realized what charm Harry had cast. Trying to look around and blinking quickly, hoping to clear his vision, the solid blackness confirmed his temporary blindness. Staying in position, he released his ankles to rotate his hands briefly before gripping his ankles again. Releasing a slow breath, he strained his ears to compensate for the loss of one sense while waiting for Harry to act.

Harry saw the sudden flex of the delicate wrists and was about to speak when the grip returned to the ankles. Narrowing his eyes, he moved closer to Severus and saw the sub flinch slightly before stilling.

"I'm going to touch you," he whispered a moment before the fingers of his free hand slid slowly across Severus' ribs.

Severus held his breath when Harry spoke and only relaxed minutely at the touch. Certain realizations started to come to Harry in light of his sub's reactions and he wasn't pleased with a few of them.

"Before we go any further, I need to know your safe word."

Watching his face, Harry saw the brief confusion before it slid away beneath the usual blank expression.

"Sir?"

"What is your safe word, Severus? Your cease all activity word. I refuse to play unless you have one."

The mouth opened and closed a few times as the blank eyes darted around but saw nothing. Severus' mind raced in confusion. None of his prior Doms had ever asked about a safe word. He had certainly read about them once he realized what his sexual tastes were and maybe his earliest relationship had included a discussion of safe words but nothing since then. _You're a sub, Snape, in a real adult relationship. No one needs safe words in real relationships. Now bite down on that gag for me and bare your back._ His breathe caught uncomfortably in his chest at the sudden memory and everything it entailed.

"I've-I've never been asked to pick one...a safe word that is...Master," he muttered, whimpering when the hold on his hair briefly tightened before easing.

Harry snarled silently before taking a deep breath to calm himself. The subtle flinches had suggested that Severus' prior relationships hadn't been the best but he honestly hadn't expected them to be that bad. A true sub being with Doms who didn't honour safe words? No wonder he was so twitchy and unsure. Severus continued speaking as Harry interpreted the man's body language.

"A sub doesn't need safe words. A sub's only purpose is to serve their Dom. A sub is to be there for the Dom's pleasure; the sub's pleasure comes second if at all," he recited; the words coming from a memory he didn't care to recall at all, but one which had been ingrained through rather frequent and painful reminders until he knew it by heart.

Harry was silent as fury raged through him at his sub's words. He tried to keep his fury from leaking into their bond but didn't think he succeeded as Severus' fearfully whimpered. He wanted to assure the older man that the anger wasn't directed at him but he sounded so certain of the statements he recited, so assured of their truth, that the emotion almost overtook Harry. Rolling his head and popping his neck, he replied, "And what piece of shit Dom told you that?"

He knew immediately that Severus was very uncomfortable with the question. His sightless gaze frantically darted away from Harry and around the room while he twitched uncomfortably. Anxiety rolled back through the bond and Harry concentrated to try and dampen it

"Sir...Master...please don't...I..."

Harry quietly soothed the older man until the trembling lessened. Whomever this former Dom was, that person had traumatized Severus to a degree Harry wasn't happy with. It would take time to earn Severus' full trust. He murmured quiet platitudes while gently petting his sub.

"First thing, Severus, you need to choose a safe word. It should be something that you'll easily remember if you are in a stressful situation."

Releasing his grip on the dark hair, Harry ran one hand down the curved back while his other hand smoothed down the presented chest and abdomen. With Severus temporarily blinded, touch was essential...vital.

"Bezoar."

Harry nodded at Severus' reply. Of course the Potions Master would pick the quickest known antidote for poison. "Good Severus. Know that I will always respect that word. If you speak it, I will cease doing whatever it is I am doing and remove myself from your immediate vicinity. But know that we will discuss what caused you to use it so we both can learn.

"Next question. The earlier pain from your mark, was it directed at you or all the Death Eaters?"

The bared throat flexed as Severus swallowed, his gaze now aimed towards the ceiling.

"It was dir-directed at all of his ser-servants...sir. The Dar-" the soft growl from Harry suggested that continuing that title would be bad, "He was angry. Furious at something."

Harry nodded again. Maybe Voldy just learned that Snape was lost to him or killed. Or that the golden boy was missing. Or that one of his arse lickers had sneezed wrong. Anything could set off the megalomaniac.

"Thank you for telling me, Severus. Now tell me what set you off when you first awoke."

Severus flinched at the reminder of how horrible he'd been. He had been insulting and his Dom had yet to punish him for his words. How was his punishment to be dealt out? Knives? Whips? By magic? As the sub, he had to bear the punishment, however his Dom decided to deliver it. It had been years since he received a punishment from a Dom. Could he withstand the fresh agony? The gentle hands touching him now could change in an instant and he would have to suffer in acceptance.

"It...my reasoning is idiotic, sir. Please just punish me however you see fit."

"I will punish you, Severus, but to decide an appropriate level of punishment and length to bear it, I need to know the infraction," Harry replied, carefully shifting the angle of his fingers so instead of the pads of his fingers it was now his nails that trailed down the sensitive skin.

Goose pimples erupted over the pale skin and Harry watched as the other man's cock started to swell in reaction to the teasing touch. The hand that was touching Severus' chest drifted up and he flicked a nail over the nipple closest to him. The increased swelling and soft hiss in response indicated that Severus enjoyed what he was doing.

"What set you off when you when you woke up, Severus?"

"I...you were taking care of me...again. I've...I've always been the strong one. Always stood alone and now...now I'm not," he stuttered in reply and swallowed tightly in shame.

"And that bothers you?" Harry asked for clarification.

"Of course it bothers me!" Severus snapped before he could stop himself.

A split second later fingers closed around a nipple and pinched while twisting sharply. The pale body jerked at the sharp pain and a grunt escaped between clenched teeth. Severus knew the moment the words left his lips that it was the wrong thing to say. His nipple was released after the sharp burst of pain and he panted while the sensation faded to a dull throb.

"Severus...I don't know what kind of relationships...or arrangements you've had in the past but this will not be like that. We will take care of each other as needed. It just so happens that you've needed to be taken care of these past two times. Trust me, given my bad habit of attracting trouble, I'm sure at some point you'll be taking care of me. Now, regarding your punishment."

Harry trailed off in consideration but neither man could ignore Severus' immediate tension and deflating erection at the thought of punishment. Harry had a suspicion that harsh punishments had been used with Severus for even the smallest of infractions and that all punishments meant pain. He would have to stay away from anything bordering on pain until they were more experienced with each other; when Severus implicitly trusted Harry and when Harry could read Severus' body.

"Now, this punishment is for two things: using my surname while in private and for giving me unnecessary attitude. It will last until this evening when we go to bed. You can opt out of it at any point by using your safe word."

The expression on Severus' face must have given Harry a clue to his next question as he went ahead and answered it. "It's a little after six in the morning."

Severus' face fell when he realized how many hours he might be suffering. He was already suffering from the physical position he was currently in. He had been able to ignore it while trying to predict what Harry might do but it was starting to hurt worse. One of Harry's hands trailed down the stretched arm closest to him before settling on his hand gripping his ankle.

"Release your ankles and put your chest to the bed. Keep your hips where they are," Harry ordered, supporting the older man as he changed positions.

He made soothing noises as he helped to rub out the aches in Severus' shoulders and lower back. The trembling began anew as Severus pondered what his punishment may be. Harry said he could use his safe word if it became too much. Would he actually be able to make himself say the word? Would Harry honor it? Would he honor it but then punish him for using his safe word?

A softly murmured word spoken near his ear suddenly cleared his vision and he found himself looking directly at Harry. A hand carefully cradled the cheek not pressed into the mattress and he instinctively relaxed.

"Trust me, Severus. I would never intentionally harm you."

Severus blinked and realized he actually believed his Dragon Master. Nodding slightly, he replied, "I trust you...Master."

Harry quickly smiled before bending close and kissing Severus' forehead. Holding up his wand, he silently cast a spell and a moment later two things came flying into his hands. Opening the jar, Harry slicked his fingers before reaching behind Severus to gently circle the puckered hole. Severus sucked in a sharp breath at the sensation and he briefly became lightheaded as all his blood rushed to his cock. His eyelids fluttered close as Harry's finger dipped into the slicked hole briefly before retreating to continue its gentle massage. After only a few minutes full of panting and soft whimpers, Harry had three fingers pressed deep into Severus. The older man remained with his chest pressed to the mattress but his arms were now stretched out, gripping the sheets in pleasure. Harry's free hand was bracing the elevated hips, steadying the occasional thrusts that couldn't be controlled.

"Yes! Yes, Master! Oh Merlin," he gasped as firm fingers brushed against his swollen prostate.

Harry withdrew his fingers, smiling at the despairing cry he received in response while he reached for the other item he summoned. Slicking it well, he steadily pushed the object into the loosened hole and tilted it so it brushed directly over the sensitive gland.

"You will not orgasm until I give you explicit permission."

The Dragon Master's voice rolled through Severus and he panted harshly as his orgasm receded just enough to churn deep within him. Sobbing at how hard he was and the object shifting against his prostate; he heard a whispered word and the object inserted in his arsehole grew to a size that he would most definitely be aware of during the day.

"This is a butt plug. Until your punishment is over, I will randomly alternate the size and cause it to vibrate."

The next moment the plug began to do just that and Severus' hips stuttered forward when Harry released him. His body fell to the bed and he started to frantically thrust against the fabric beneath him, chasing his orgasm. Harry watched with avid interest as Severus struggled, the sight fueling his own arousal though he knew the sub's actions would do nothing but frustrate him and drive his arousal higher. Severus' body would never countermand his Dragon's command. Instead of success, Severus continued to hover right on the precipice without the impetus to fall. Sobbing weakly, he rolled onto his side and looked down at his swollen cock. It was sloppy from all the pre-ejaculate and twitching in angry denial. He looked up at Harry through strands of sweaty hair and shivered at the burning desire he could clearly see in those emerald colored eyes.

"Merlin, Severus."

Harry surged forward and braced himself over his sub, swooping down to claim the swollen lips. Both men groaned as Harry lowered his hips to thrust against Severus' turgid shaft. Breaking away from the kiss, Harry leaned back and breathed deeply a few times while staring at the trembling man under him.

"How did I get so lucky?" Harry murmured, watching as a darker flush flooded the face staring up at him.

Smiling, he bent his head and kissed Severus quickly before moving to stand beside the bed. Not bothered by his lack of dress, Harry eyed the similarly bare body still on the bed before slowly grinning.

"This evening, when your punishment is over, well then...that's when the real fun will start."

Severus watched as Potter turned and left the room. A moment later he heard the shower start up and he collapsed back on the bed. Raising his head just enough to view his still swollen shaft, he groaned before dropping his head back to the bed.

"The brat is going to ruin me."

(!)(!)(!)

Huge shout outs to all those that left comments, follows and sent kudos. You'll laugh but every time I received a Kudos in my email, I mentally wailed 'I'm working on it!' Hope everyone enjoys this chapter and always a constant shout out to MyFirstistheFourth for poking, bugging and nagging me for the next chapter. Hope to see everyone at the next posting.


	6. Chapter 6

Severus was in agony. No doubt about it, _this_ was ongoing torture. He could not seem to remember the time before these overwhelming sensations wracked his body and mind, not giving him a moment of peace. Sweat trickled down his spine to be absorbed by his already saturated clothing. The muscles in his thighs, abdomen and lower back were trembling in exhaustion from his ongoing punishment.

A loud thump pulled his attention away from the sensations consuming his body to instead watch as his Dominus stood from his chair. They had been pouring over Regulus' notes, the clues pertaining to the Horcrux, ways to destroy it, and the possibility of there being more than one. Kreacher had informed them that the object was hidden in Egypt, the Valley of the Queens but he didn't know more than that. He had taken his Master there and left with instructions not to return until he was called again. Kreacher knew nothing beyond that; Regulus had never called for him. Harry and Severus had discussed how they could attain it and the best way for them to travel. They had taken a break for supper and Severus found sitting during the meal proved torturous as the plug pressed directly against his prostate in that position. The vibrations had thankfully ceased during the meal but any moving he did would also shift the object. The toy's size had mercifully returned to its original size for the duration of the meal as well. However, since finishing his meal and standing the fluctuating size and intense vibrations had resumed. He had staggered to the library and what followed was two and a half hours of the most physically challenging sexual play he had ever encountered. The earlier order from his master made it impossible for him to orgasm and the Dom enjoyed watching him suffer under the sexual torment. His safe word occasionally swam through his mind but he never considered using it. He wasn't in physical pain and the discomfort he was in would be relieved by orgasm. Despite only being together a few short days, Severus somehow knew that Harry wouldn't leave him without a reward.

"I think it's time for a shower and then bed," Harry said, eyeing the straining erection still trapped in Severus' trousers.

"Yes," he swallowed tightly, "Dominus."

He was trembling now as he followed Harry into the master bath, watching as the young man turned the taps to release the pounding water. Steam was already billowing over the curtain when Harry turned towards him, starting to slowly remove his sub's clothing. Magic would have been faster but Severus' skin was so sensitized from his stagnant orgasm that any soft touch was magnified. Harry's lips drifted over his nipple and gently rolled it between his teeth, coaxing soft keens from the thin lips above him. Before he knew it, he was standing under the pounding water with a similarly nude body against his side. Without being told to, Severus placed his hands against the cool tile wall, spread his legs and braced himself. The pleased murmur from the younger man thrilled him as the equally wet body moved to press against his back, a thick cock slipping enticingly between his arse cheeks. Harry shifted behind him and out of the corner of his eye, he watched as his Dom picked up the bar of soap. Severus shivered as Harry started to wash over his body, taking his time when he found sensitive areas.

"What was your punishment for, Severus?" Harry asked, loud enough to be heard over the water.

The plug increased in size suddenly and he whimpered; not believing how full he felt. He pressed back against the steady vibrations and moaned at the various sensations. One hand cupped streaming water and washed away the soap suds while the other hand tilted Severus' head back to soak down his dark hair. The vibrations from the plug came in slow, steady pulses, building in strength the longer they continued and driving him almost completely around the bend. Hands trailed over his flushed skin, and he hissed at the ceiling above him as skilled fingertips pulled reactions from his body. His hips started to subtly thrust; feeling like his muscles were no longer under his control.

"Using your - urgh - your surname in...in private, sir! Merlin!"

His hands scrabbled against the tile as the vibrations increased again. He was almost levitating on his toes from the overwhelming pleasure. Harry's hands left his body briefly before reappearing, slathered with shampoo, to bury themselves into Severus' wet hair. Once there was a nice lather, the hands tightened and pulled his head back just a little further.

"And?"

Severus wanted to strangle his Master. Here he was about to lose his mind if he didn't orgasm soon and the young whelp sounded perfectly calm and collected. The insistent cock at his lower back was the only clue that he was acutely interested in the proceedings.

"And...and -" He was not too proud to admit that he shrieked for a moment when Harry's hand pressed against the plug and tilted it directly against his prostate.

The hands gentled again and fingers ran through clean locks, rinsing the shampoo away before sliding down Severus' body.

"And I gave you an unnecessary attitude!" he sobbed as the thrusts along his crack grew firmer.

"Have you learned your lesson?"

Harry's calm was finally starting to crack as his fingers dug briefly into the pale flesh of his submissive. Severus frantically nodded, gasping when a set of fingers tweaked one of his nipples while the other hand stroked his painfully hard cock. He really felt like he was about to pass out and couldn't seem to catch his breath as he panted heavily.

"Words, my Ventus."

"Yes, Dominus!" he screamed, barely hearing Harry's reply...the words that negated the earlier order.

It didn't matter though; subconsciously he had heard it, so his body responded. He wailed when his orgasm rushed through him like an epic tidal wave; destroying everything in its path. His body bowed as his entire being convulsed and the ejaculate splattered against the tile wall. His entire body rocked forward a few times before a soft groan reached his ears over the roaring in his mind. A strong arm wrapped around his waist and a moment later a unique splash of heat washed up his lower back. The arm tightened as he was thrust against a few more times, leaving them both panting. Severus' knees wanted to buckle as most of his body felt numb in the wake of his pleasure. A grunt slipped from his lips when a warm body leaned heavily against him from behind, pressing him more fully against the shower wall. The cool tile brought a little focus to his otherwise scattered mind. He wasn't deep in subspace, instead he hovered at the initial stage; not completely oblivious to his surroundings and who he was.

"That was magnificent," Harry murmured, placing a gentle kiss behind Severus' ear.

Tilting his head to the side in submission for Harry seemed second nature to Severus at this point as he did just that, feeling his Dom nuzzle against him. Harry's hands continued to trail over various parts of his body as they both enjoyed the pounding hot water. Severus watched as one of Harry's hands skimmed tenderly around his side, fingers slowly creeping down to where his thigh joined his pelvis. The delicate skin there tingled as the area was gently rubbed. Watching the fingertips stroking across his skin made Severus realize that he had never once initiated touch between the two of them just for the sake of touching. The times he did initiate touch were to stop Potter from harming someone or to guide him somewhere. History had taught him that touch was either good or bad; nothing in between. Good touches were the brief moments when pleasure barely outweighed the pain; bad touch was everything else. It had been pounded into him that a sub's position was only to accept the bad and the good; whenever and whatever his Dom decided on. Not to initiate anything he might desire on his own. His desires were irrelevant.

Harry had only shown him pleasure and pleasurable pain; yes, the orgasm denial had been maddening and painful in its own way but it did not leave him in pain afterwards. Perhaps Harry was truly different from the other Doms he had experienced before. Maybe he would allow Severus to touch him freely out of the simple desire to just touch.

Huffing slightly, he pushed away from the wall enough to turn around and lean against the cool tiles looking squarely at the young man now in front of him. Green eyes watched him warily, unsure how his once hated Potions Professor was going to react after what they had done.

Swallowing tightly, Severus whispered, "May I touch you, Dominus?"

The young Dom smiled and stepped closer till his bare feet framed those of his sub. "It's Harry, after a scene, Severus. And yes, you may touch me any time you desire to do so. In the shower, cooking food or just lazing about."

Glancing at his Dom's eyes to judge his sincerity, Severus allowed himself to return the young man's smile cautiously as he reached out, hesitating for a moment before trailing his fingertips down the other man's breastbone. Yes, being honest with himself, he still brace himself for a slap or a punch. The only response however, was a similar ghosting of fingertips over his hip. He spent several minutes carefully detailing the various textures of his Dominant's body and how each response varied depending on what he was touching. A soft growl when he carefully caught a nipple with a nail. The quiet huff of a laugh when he found a ticklish spot. Looking once more into Harry's face, Severus watched the water trailing down his features from the dark strands of hair now plastered over his forehead. Droplets gathered on long lashes, framing eyes that watched him calmly.

"May I kiss you, Harry?"

He couldn't believe that actually came out of his mouth but before he could backtrack from his slip-up and escape the damning words, Harry smiled brightly.

"You never have to ask permission."

They both moved and met half way. Severus ran his fingers up Harry's neck, burying them in his wet hair to hold the Dom tightly to him. A muscular tongue teased at his lips and he opened his mouth to admit it with a moan. _Merlin, Potter can kiss_ , he thought as his bottom lip was nibbled on. Despite the epic orgasm he just had, his cock twitched in an attempt to get hard and he ground his hips against Harry's. He felt the smile against his lips as the kiss slowly gentled until Harry pulled back just enough to separate their mouths. Nuzzling at Severus' throat briefly, Harry stepped back under the spray and started to wash himself. Watching for a few moments, Severus reached for the shampoo and moulded his chest to Harry's back, washing his Dom's hair. Gentle touches were exchanged throughout as Severus helped Harry finish washing.

"As much as I would enjoy another round, at the moment I think I would much rather get some sleep with my submissive and hold him close."

Severus couldn't believe he actually blushed slightly at those words. No one had ever expressed the simple desire to just sleep with him, to lay beside him and trust him when they were at their most vulnerable. It had always been a fast, rough fuck; against a wall, in a dark corner, quick and dirty. Nodding in agreement, he blinked when Harry simply waved his hand and the water shut off. Another wave and the plug, which Severus has grown accustomed to, disappeared, banished back to wherever it had come from. Severus followed Harry out of the shower and waited as instructed, amused as Harry swiftly dried him off first before rubbing the towel over himself. Harry took hold of Severus' hand and pulled the older man behind him as they moved into the bedroom. Reaching for a night gown, Severus stopped when a firm tug on his hand got his attention.

Harry smiled as he urged him towards the bed. "No bed clothes."

Thankfully Harry then cast a quiet _Nox_ and didn't see the fresh flush that stained Severus' cheeks. Following his lover into a large bed with only his sense of touch to guide him seemed deliciously taboo, especially when he reached out and trailed the back of his fingers down the cool back of his bed partner.

Allowing himself to be maneuvered, Severus soon found himself on his side with an arm not his own curled around his waist and warm naked flesh pressed tightly against his back. He was tense as lips kissed slowly across his upper back and the fingers spread wide against his abdomen.

"Relax, Severus. Relax and sleep," Harry murmured.

Much to Severus' surprise. He did.

(!)(!)(!)

"Can you think of anything else we may need?" Harry asked, looking in his simple shoulder bag that Severus had charmed with an extendable charm.

"Other than the proverbial kitchen sink?" Severus questioned sarcastically, seeing the resulting eye-roll.

After awakening from a deep restful sleep wrapped in each other's arms, they had been busy readying to depart. Harry's birthday wasn't for another two days and they couldn't afford to wait until he turned seventeen to start hunting down the Horcrux; every day lost was another day Voldemort was out killing innocents. Not wanting to risk being in public despite wearing various glamours they decided to avoid the public floo connections entirely. They couldn't legally create a portkey and creating an illegal one was far too risky. Flying with brooms over that distance would be dangerous and time consuming. The only feasible way to do it was apparating but the distance they had to cover would exhaust any wizard. Since Harry wasn't seventeen yet, it would have to be Severus exerting the magical energy. In preparation, Severus had stocked up on several potions including vials of pepper-up and magical core boosters. He could only hope it was enough to get them to Egypt.

Kreacher had informed them that after returning from Egypt without Master Regulus, Lady Black had been furious that the house elf hadn't been immediately available when she needed him. In her fury, she had bound Kreacher to Grimmauld Place using her own blood wards; forbidding him from ever leaving Great Britain. Once she died, no one could rescind those orders since they were tied to Black blood. Harry was the heir but he was no Black. The elf had done the best he could to help them, verbally describing the place he had taken Regulus. The last place he had seen his Master alive.

They both walked into the back garden which, though small, held a safe apparition point. It only allowed disapparition as a safety measure and that's where they would leave from. Severus had changed from his customary black robes and clothing, opting for more sturdy muggle wear. Simple hiking boots adorned his feet while he wore a pair of dark jeans with a simple white button-down and a khaki jacket. His pockets were charmed with an expandable charms as well to hold various potions and supplies he felt he needed to keep on his person. Harry wore his usual pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a darker jacket. His bag was tightly cinched across his torso and each had their wands on their forearms in holsters. Once he realized that Severus had a back up wand, Harry had requested that they try to find him a secondary wand for emergency purposes while in Thebes. Agreeing with the logic, Severus already knew just the place to look since he lived in the city during his mastery studies.

Severus quickly swallowed a few of his potions and banished the vials before motioning Harry closer.

"We'll be going first to Bari which is near the bottom of Italy for a very brief layover, then we'll jump to Thebes. Hold onto me tightly," Severus ordered, holding out one arm for Harry to slip under.

Severus held his wand at the ready in one hand while his other arm slipped around Harry's shoulders, the latter's arms circling his waist securely. Casting a disillusionment charm over them, he took a deep breath and twisted; carrying them both away.

(!)(!)(!)

A little over 2100 kilometers away there was a faint pop and two men appeared on a seaside cliff, startling a small flock of herons into flight. The taller of the two men staggered briefly before falling to one knee causing the other to kneel as well.

"Severus? What can I do?" Harry asked, hesitant to seem too helpful after their conversation just a day earlier.

"Potions...left pocket," he grunted in response, trying to keep the world steady.

He could feel the firm yet gentle hands grope in his pocket before withdrawing a few vials. Harry recognized two of the ones Severus had taken just before apparating and unstoppered the first to hold it to his thrall's lips.

"Pepper-up first," he murmured and watched as it was quickly swallowed.

After helping with the second vial and seeing Severus start to regain himself, Harry stood and looked around the surrounding coast. In the distance he could see a small village, it was still quite early so most of the villagers weren't awake yet. The distant sight came as a relief. Though still wearing the disillusionment charm, someone nearby could hear them. The breeze coming off the water snapped at his clothing and despite the pounding waves and sea mist it was a gorgeous area. Maybe he could come back here at some point to visit and take in the sights. Maybe even bring Severus with him and they could find a nice bed and breakfast. He sighed; that might take a while. After the war he would revisit that thought.

"Hold onto me again, Potter," Severus said as he struggled to his feet.

The potions had helped but he still felt exhausted. It was entirely possible the last jump to Egypt might knock him unconscious. For a brief moment he wondered if he should warn Harry but quickly decided against it. It wasn't that much further than what he had just jumped and he was a fairly powerful wizard.

Taking Harry under his arm, he took another deep breath and disapparated again. A moment later he felt his feet touch ground, a little over 2200 kilometers away. Unfortunately, his body decided it needed to touch the ground as well as he fell into darkness.

(!)(!)(!)

"Severus!"

Harry valiantly tried to keep his thrall from hitting the ground too hard when the man collapsed as soon as they landed. Frantically feeling for a pulse, he eventually found it and breathed a sigh of relief upon feeling the slow but steady throbbing under his fingers. Severus didn't even twitch at Harry's touch so he was out cold. Sitting back on his haunches, Harry looked around to realize they had landed behind a shop in an active part of the city. He could hear the loud sounds on nearby streets from hagglers and various interactions. Snagging a newspaper blowing by on a breeze, he was able to determine with a quick glance at the front page that he was around muggles. He needed to find a place where they could hole up and let Severus recover. Twisting slightly, he reached into his bag and pulled out his invisibility cloak. Shaking it open he laid it over Severus' still body and watched as the older man vanished. Standing and focusing on his dragon magic, he shrugged off the charm on himself and went looking for a place to rent for the next few nights.

Two hours later he had Severus in a bed, stripped down to his pants, and tucked under the covers. In addition to renting a room at a large hotel, he had procured some fruit, meat and cheese from the vendors on the streets. The hotel sold bottles of water so Harry had grabbed a few of those as well. He had food in his bag for both of them but preferred to save that for when they had no other easy options.

Closing the blinds and casting the room into a soft dimness, Harry set their wands on the bedside table before bracing himself against the headboard; pulling out the thick dragon book he flipped it open where he had left off last. While he read, one hand unconsciously dropped to card through Severus' hair, providing comfort to Harry that his thrall was alive and well. At regular intervals, he would break for food and water; coaxing a few sips into Severus. Evening slowly came and the sounds of local revelery drifted through the window as he continued to read, the excitement from the day catching up to him. Coming across a section labeled power, he sat up in interest.

 _A_ Dominus Draco _and the_ Ventus Famulus _can leach power and strength in times of dire need. This is different from the sharing of powers. Sharing of powers is intentional. Leaching is instinctual to preserve a life. Leaching will occur once the injured party has come close enough to being subconsciously aware of their need to reach out for the other. Physical contact is necessary, preferably skin to skin. The leacher will never take more than the leechee can provide. Leaching can heal a variety of injuries and wounds; as well as relieve severe magical exhaustion._

Not needing to read further, Harry tossed the book aside and stood to strip off his clothing. Lifting the sheets and sliding in beside the motionless man, he carefully arranged Severus until he was on his side before lifting the limp arm to move under it. Pushing his back tightly against Severus' chest, he let the arm drape over his waist and pressed the cool hand tightly to his chest. The book didn't mention how long it would take for the process to start and Harry had almost fallen asleep when he sensed something happening. The hand he held against his chest started to heat up as well as any other points of contact where they were touching skin on skin. He could sense his power draining from him but was even more amazed that he could sense Severus' power coming back online, building inside the older man. The power sang darkly under the pale skin, curling through muscle and bone to reach throughout the body. The compatible power purred in recognition of Harry's magical signature and he felt Severus' body subtly shift closer to his own. Both magical powers now danced and sang together, mixing between the two bodies, driving Harry into a deep sleep, wrapped in his lover's arms.

(!)(!)(!)

 _This is very familiar,_ Severus mused silently as he woke to warm skin; although this time it was pressed against his chest and under his arm. He could feel a steady thumping against his hand, causing him to flex his arm and pull the warmth tighter against him. A soft mumble prompted him to open his eyes and evaluate his situation. Harry was ensconced in his arms and they were in a standard looking hotel...a muggle hotel, Severus realized upon seeing the obvious muggle paraphernalia. It was simple to guess what happened once they touched down in Egypt. He must have passed out and Harry had secured them in a hotel room. The question now was how many days had they lost while he had been unconscious.

Cautiously loosening his grip on Potter, he slowly sat up and ran a hand through his dark hair. Slipping out of the bed, he glanced back at the still sleeping youth, watching him burrow deeper into the pillows. Refusing to acknowledge the soft smile he felt his lips curve into, he stood and, without a thought to his nudity, walked to the loo for a shower. Savoring the hot water for a moment, he quickly washed up, eager to catch up the days they lost. As he was drying off, he heard the television cut on in the bedroom indicating that Potter was awake. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped the towel around his waist and emerged from the steamy room.

Potter was seated on the edge of the bed dressed in only his jeans, elbows braced on his knees while he watched the television, munching on an apricot. He looked up and stood when Severus came out of the bathroom, raising an eyebrow at the towel. He took a moment to admire while Severus did the same. The blue jeans sat low on Potter's hips which drew attention to the slim waist and defined abdomen. The years of quidditch had helped tone the boy...well, young man, that stood in front of him now. Seeing the muscles flex as Potter threw away the apricot stone caused Severus to think of other ways those muscles might flex. Possibly while pounding into him and making him scream Harry's name; wrapping his legs around that slim waist. A flush bloomed over Severus' chest as his imagination went into overdrive. He looked up at Harry's face as the Dom slowly approached him.

"Such naughty thoughts, Severus," Harry purred, making an educated guess upon seeing the blush and where the older man's gaze had ventured.

Harry stood close enough to feel the residual heat on Severus' skin from the shower. Slowly reaching out, he delicately trailed his fingertips over the skin just above the edge of the towel. A soft whimper drew his attention just after he saw the front of the towel start to tent. Before looking up at Severus, he slipped fingers under the edge of the towel and tugging it loose to toss it aside. Smiling darkly, he slowly raised his gaze from the long legs, over the swelling cock, the flat abdomen and the erect nipples to finally look at the dark, lust blown eyes.

"As much as I would love to take you apart and put you back together, we have things to hunt. Get dressed," Harry ordered softly, not bothering to put the strength of the Dragon behind the order.

Severus swallowed tightly before nodding and moving past his young Dom. A hand brushed over his arse, prompting a small shiver to race up his spine. Snagging his wand, he cast a freshening charm on the clothing before getting dressed. Grumbling, he tucked his half erect cock down a trouser leg hoping it would deflate quickly.

"You could have warned me that all the apparating would drain you that badly. You were unconscious as soon as we landed," Harry said, pulling on his shirt.

"I didn't expect it to drain me to that extent. How long was I unconscious?"

"Less than twenty-four hours."

Severus spun, looking at Harry in shock. That much magical output should have had him down for at least forty-eight hours. Yet here he stood, feeling refreshed and energized.

"But how?"

Harry shrugged before answering. "I shared my power with you. We have a connection from Dragon to Thrall and vice versa. You needed power so you leached off me."

The young man brushed away Severus' concerns over the knowledge that he had stolen power from Harry.

"I was expecting it after I read about it in my dragon book. We can voluntarily share power between ourselves if we want. In times of dire need, apparently, one of us can leach off the other without consent. You didn't take too much so don't worry," he replied, looking up from his dressing as Severus observed him for confirmation.

Severus didn't know what to say to that so he slowly turned back to his clothing and finished getting dressed. He wasn't sure how he felt about leaching power off Potter. Obviously he was glad, for it meant they were moving more quickly than he expected. On the other hand, it grated on his nerves that he was the one in need of rescuing again. Though, surprisingly, it didn't bother him nearly as much as it did earlier in the week.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, he finished dressing and followed Harry out of the room. Some other time Severus might enjoy coming back to Egypt to explore when they didn't have a Dark Lord after their throats. The stall vendors were selling various fabrics and foodstuffs, each one tempting the senses. Harry must have spoken to the hotel staff because he led them straight to the local taxi stand to procure a ride to their destination. While Severus negotiated, Harry bought food from one of the vendors which they shared once they were on their way.

The clues Regulus had left suggested that he would hide the Horcrux in the Valley of the Queens but they could find no other hints to narrow it down. Research had revealed that there were over 100 tombs in the Valley where Regulus could hide the Horcrux. Harry purchased a map at the hotel which indicated all the excavated tombs in the Valley. They both took turns eating their food and pouring over the map during the journey out of town and into the desert. Neither expected Regulus to hide the Horcrux where muggles could easily find it but the area was so vast he had to have left some clue where a wizard or witch could discover it.

Fifteen minutes later the cab dropped them off at the visitor's center and puttered off, back towards the city.

"Well that was faster than I expected," Severus muttered, glancing over his shoulder where he could easily see the city in the distance.

"Guess it's like any other historical city. A modern city grows up around it," Harry replied, glancing at the map and then at the surrounding hills.

Severus grunted in reply as they started walking, following the occasional group and eavesdropping on a few individual tour guides. Severus was looking for anything distinctly wizard like while Harry was trying to use his connection to Voldemort to sense the Horcrux without opening himself up to attacks. It was tedious and frustrating to say the least. Taking a break for a late lunch, the two men sat and watched silently as other tourists wandered around.

"How are we going to find it Severus? Kreacher just said Valley of the Queens. Regulus could have hidden it anywhere," Harry muttered, sipping from his bottle of water.

"We will find it. We have to," Severus replied softly.

Harry tilted his head back and sighed, watching a bird fly by when a flash of inspiration struck.

"Severus...are dragons considered dark creatures?"

The older man thought quietly for a moment before nodding. "I would assume so. Not the darkest though."

Harry stood and started packing away his water and small food stuffs. "If a dragon is a dark creature, and a Horcrux is a dark object and I have visions from Voldemort. Then one could reasonably deduce that in my dragon form, I should be able to pinpoint where the Horcrux is. Or at least, point us in an accurate direction."

Severus' eyes lit up in understanding as he stood as well. They both hurried away from the tourists to find somewhere secluded so Harry could shift forms. It took some hiking before they finally rounded a rock outcropping and were hidden from sight. With one last look around, Harry passed over the shoulder bag and stepped away from Severus.

"Disillusion me," Harry ordered and Severus only nodded, gripping his wand and casting the charm.

Harry, the wizard, disappeared, but only moments later dark colors started to shimmer into view, like a desert mirage. Severus watched in amazement as the dark colored shimmers took form until a flesh and blood dragon stood in front of him, growing steadily in size. The sunlight glinted off the dark scales as the dragon shook itself briefly before looking down at the approaching wizard. Severus stared in wonder, slowly reaching out to trail his fingers over the thick scales. The large dark head lowered and gently bumped against him, knocking a small chuckled from his lips. He could feel the muscles flexing under the scales and flesh as he walked along the dragon's flank. Pressing both hands against the dragon's side, he could feel the rib cage expand and contract as the creature breathed.

"Brilliant," he murmured while Harry watched him calmly. "Well, take note, a disillusionment charm does not work on dragons."

The dragon huffed before turning his head forward, straightening to crane its neck high and look around. Large nostrils flared as the head turned to and fro, searching the surrounding landscape. Severus also looked around but wasn't sure what the dragon was looking for or trying to smell. They might have been wrong about the dark creature and dark object theory. Scoffing, Severus turned, planning to have a seat somewhere and rethink their approach.

" _Something…_ "

The next moment Severus was airborn, his body held gently inside one closed talon. He had to forcibly stop himself from firing off the first offensive spell that came to mind to free himself from the grip. Gasping, he grabbed onto anything he could get a good grasp on as the ground streaked by beneath him.

"Potter! Put me down! Where-"

They landed. Though before Severus could get his breath back, the dragon started to scale a sheer rock face. The talons of his three available legs gouged into the rock cracks as the claws at the crest of his wings hooked on rock outcroppings and helped steady his climb. Severus wanted to yell and shout but the words were stuck in his throat as the ground now receded far away from him. He later wouldn't admit it but he clenched his eyes shut and just attempted to breathe until his nightmarish ride was over. He pulled his occlumency shields high and tight, retreating behind his barriers just like he did when the Dark Lord was angry and subjected him to countless _Crucio_ s.

" _Severus?"_

The voice rumbling through his mind brought him out from behind his mental barriers. They were perched on a rocky ledge facing a large boulder which hid the entrance to a cave; a cave that radiated something dark and ominous.

" _It's here."_

 _(!)(!)(!)_

 _Thank you so much for your patience with this chapter. The HP muses tempted me with two new story ideas so those sucked me in and wouldn't let me go until I finished the first chapter for both the new stories. My eternal thanks to MyFirstistheFourth for proofing this chapter and providing lots of great ideas and encouragement. Hope you all enjoy._


	7. Chapter 7

Harry's tone had Severus tensing as the dragon shifted back to his human form. The two stared into the mouth of the inky black tunnel. The brightness of the day didn't reach far into the cave and the stark line between light and dark was stark. It was as if another world lay beyond that border. Harry was suddenly reminded of a Doctor Who episode he had once caught bits of through the crack of the door to his cupboard; the phases 'stay out of the shadows' and 'Hey, who turned out the lights?' kept running through his head.

"How are we going to handle this?" Harry asked softly, noticing that Severus hadn't moved into the shadows yet either.

"What are you on about, Potter?" Severus snapped. Harry softly snarled but allowed the surname as they were both stressed.

"I can't use magic for another twenty-four hours roughly or the Ministry will be able to track me. How do we handle whatever is down there? I doubt Regulus would have just set it on a shelf to be taken by some random treasure hunter."

Severus looked back over his shoulder at the empty valley below them while turning the question over in his mind. His idiot was right. Sirius Black may have been an idiot of epic proportions but his elder brother was not. Without even asking, he knew that Harry wouldn't stay behind and wait for him.

"Well I'm not comfortable with us splitting up. Give me your wand so you're not tempted to use it," Severus ordered, only to be shocked when Harry actually handed it over without hesitation.

To trust another wizard with your wand was the utmost sign of respect. Severus was stunned to realize that he felt the same way. If Harry had requested his wand, he would have handed it over without question. Swallowing tightly, he gently held the warmed wand and tucked it in the holster where his own usually rested. Again, thoughts of what this was exactly between Potter and himself came barging in before he cast them away firmly. He would have time later to mull that over.

"Stay behind me and stay close. I'd hate for the bloody boy wonder to be killed while we hunt down a Horcrux in bloody Egypt," Severus muttered, casting a _Lumos_ before advancing into the dark cave.

A hand suddenly gripping the back of his trousers briefly halted him before Severus quickly dismissed it. Compared to everything else they'd done together so far, a simple hand gripping his waist band shouldn't be so startling. He refused to let a blush steal over his face at the thoughts of...everything else. Taking a deep breath, he slowly crept deeper into the cave, keeping his Dom at his back.

They walked for what felt like miles, twisting and turning deeper into the rocks. Every so often Severus would have to stop and disarm some magical booby trap before continuing on. Harry was stretching out with his magic hoping to sense anything that could help them find the Horcrux. He could feel a large mass of magic up ahead but it wasn't doing anything except just existing there. The closer they got, the more oppressive it felt. Tightening his grip, Harry tugged on Severus' trousers to stop the man from advancing further.

"Harry?"

He shook his head briefly, trying his best to grasp how large the magical mass was; he couldn't sense the edges or where it might curve around.

"There's something magical up ahead, putting out a lot of energy. I'm not sure what it is exactly. The magic doesn't feel positive or negative," he muttered, not looking at the older man.

"What do you mean by positive or negative?"

The question focused Harry's attention and he turned away from the swirl of magic up ahead. Blinking, he looked up into the dark eyes that studied him carefully.

"The magic is neither good or bad; it's just...there," he replied, waving his hand in the direction they were going.

Severus blinked at that statement before bringing his wand around to peer more closely at Harry's eyes. Ignoring the sharp muttering his movements caused and the brightness of his _Lumos_ , he watched the pupils of the green eyes quickly dilate.

"Do you mean you can see magic?"

Harry batted away the wand. "No. I can only sense it when I'm trying to. Usually I don't try because it gives me a migraine."

"How long have y-"

"Not important right now, Severus. Let's get this Horcrux and then we can talk," Harry snapped and Severus relented.

Now was not the time to be asking Harry about his previously hidden talents and abilities. Nodding briefly, he turned back to their path and continued forward with Harry's hand once more gripping his waist band.

Eventually they entered a dark cavernous room filled with a rasping noise. Severus charged a light orb and cast it towards the ceiling. What it revealed was a surprise to both wizards. It was a wall of churning sand. There was only one entrance into the sand and it remained stationary. It appeared to be a maze. The walls of the maze swirled and flowed thickly, forming impenetrable barriers. They couldn't determine how far the maze extended and there was no way to go around as the maze's walls were flush against the stone walls of the cave.

"Something like the Triwizard maze?" Harry asked softly, reaching out towards the moving sand.

He didn't touch it but came close enough to feel the gentle prickling of the sand granules as they moved. Moving along the seemingly solid wall, he craned his head back to take in the impressive height.

"What do you mean?" Severus asked, distracted as he inspected the maze.

"The maze isn't the challenge, it's the things that are in the maze that you have to get through," Harry suggested, moving to the only opening in the wall of sand.

Harry started to enter the maze but was stopped when Severus grabbed his elbow and jerked him back.

"What are you doing?" he hissed, flexing his grip on his wand.

Harry yanked his elbow from Severus' grip before motioning towards the maze. "We'll have to go in there, Severus. There's no way to get around this and even if there was, the Horcrux is probably in the center, or somewhere within the maze, not on the other side. If Regulus was smart enough to nick the Horcrux and keep it hidden for this long, then he wouldn't have made it so easy that we only had to fly over the maze to reach the end. He would have done everything in his power to ensure that whoever came for the Horcrux would have to enter this maze."

Both men were nearly panting from exasperation with the other. Severus snarled silently because he knew the boy was correct. They would have to brave the maze and whatever tricks or booby traps Regulus Black had left to guard the Horcrux. Gnashing his teeth, Severus jerked his head to the side and took a deep breath.

"Fine. Stay behind me and don't lose contact. This maze might be designed to separate us once we're in the thick of it. Don't distract me unless it's an emergency."

Severus turned back to the maze, not seeing Harry roll his eyes. They both took a long drink of water before returning the bottles to Harry's pack before moving forward. Harry again slipped his hand into Severus' trousers, only this time he moved the shirt aside as well so that his hand could touch skin. Severus shivered when Harry's hand suddenly warmed and he felt power rush through his body. His wand almost seemed to sizzle in his hand and he felt like he had ingested twenty pepper-up potions. Taking another deep breath, he stepped forward, leading them into the maze.

(!)(!)(!)

Hours later, Severus snarled in frustration as they stopped at another dead end. It seemed every turn led to a new dead end. They hadn't encountered anything, be it creature, human, statue, peacock or sphinx. The constant sound of the rushing sand was becoming infuriating and the situation had both of them on edge.

"We have to be missing something," Harry said, studying the sand wall for the hundredth time.

"We're not missing anything. This is pointless!" Severus yelled, finally losing his normally steady composure.

"Just calm down, Severus. We're both intelligent, we can figure this out," Harry soothed, reaching out to touch the sand again.

Snarling, Severus took aim and blasted the nearest sand wall with the first spell he thought of. The walls around them froze in place for a brief moment before the sand suddenly surged at them. Harry plastered himself against Severus' back, pressing both hands to bare skin to lend his power. Severus barely noticed as he repeatedly cast anything he could think of to repel sand. A shield charm didn't work, the sand drove right through it, pelting his clothing and stinging his bare skin. Whipping his arm in a circle above his head, he churned the air around trying to dissipate the sand but the granules didn't stop. He would not be beaten by sand! Bracing himself, he put more power into the spell, not realizing that he couldn't feel the firm hands at his back anymore. He could hardly see and he couldn't hear anything past the sound of sand and his own blood pounding in his ears.

He staggered then froze when he felt an arctic sliver of panic pierce his heart. A roar of need echoed through his mind from his Dragon. Ignoring the attacking sand, he spun around, frantically searching for Harry, spotting him a few feet away almost buried beneath the sand. Harry's movements were weak and uncoordinated, indicating he had been struggling for a while. Darting to his side, Severus slipped his arms under Harry's torso, hoisting him out of the mound of sand. It was not enough. To Severus' horror it looked as though the sand was trying to drown Harry, flowing into his mouth even as he tried to cough and clear his throat. Harry's eyelids fluttered briefly before falling closed as he went limp in Severus' arms; the normally stoic man still frantically trying to clear the sand from his Dom's airway while it continued to swirl wildly around them.

"Harry!"

The sand seemed to only be focusing on Harry, leaving Severus alone as he continued trying to banish the substance. Harry's lips were starting to turn blue and in his sheer panic Severus cast a breathing charm around Harry's head. It was something healers used when patients needed their breathing pattern controlled; perhaps it would force air past the sand and into Harry's arid lungs. As suddenly as it had begun, the swirling sand stopped and disappeared. Severus hardly cared about that though, Harry was no longer breathing in his arms.

"Harry? Harry!"

His brain refused to accept the lacking of breathing and acted on instincts, hastily lowering Harry to the ground. A quick glance had ensured there was no longer any sand in Potter's mouth, and taking a deep breath himself, Severus sealed his lips over Harry's lax mouth and exhaled sharply. The action caused the young man to jerk upwards coughing before rolling onto his side still hacking and struggling to bring in breathable air. Relief flooded Severus' limbs so suddenly that they shook and he almost collapsed atop Harry. Pulling at Harry's pack, he removed a bottle of water, helping Harry to takes sips between bouts of coarse wheezing while he sagged weakly against Severus' legs.

"Se'rus?" Harry murmured, his hand drifting up only to fall weakly in the other man's lap.

"I'm here, Harry. You're alright now," he soothed, gently petting the dark head while taking hold of Harry's hand.

They sat there for several long minutes while Harry got his breath back and Severus calmed down. He watched Harry carefully for any signs of breathing difficulty and tried not to think of how closely he had come to losing the young man. Granted, he hadn't yet fully realized what they truly meant to each other, but he could safely say that he enjoyed the young man's company and felt no urge to end their association. In the process of researching how to find the Horcruxes, he had learned that there was a bright mind behind those spectacles. It wasn't the textbook intelligence that Ms Granger touted, but rather a life experience intelligence. Harry preferred to observe everything before providing an answer. He didn't like being put on the spot to immediately answer a question. Which was usually only demanded of him in Potions. He also didn't usually shoot off his mouth unless made angry in response to something, most often particular injustices. Again, sadly, that something was usually Severus Snape's vitriolic words. He was learning a great deal about Harry Potter, a young man at the center of a war that he didn't start but was expected to finish.

His attention came back to Harry as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. Looking back at Severus, he brushed a rough hand through his disarrayed hair, smirking before dropping his gaze.

"Who knew sand could be so pissy?" he muttered, watching as sand fell from his hair.

Severus cleared his throat before replying. "Well, given the quantity of sand in this area, I would have to hazard a guess that some of it would fall into the category of 'pissy'. I think you just attract it."

Harry stared at him in disbelief for a moment before he giggled, prompting Severus to smirk. Standing swiftly, he offered a hand to the young Dom, hauling him up before they turned to see what the maze had hidden. The room was easily the size of a Quidditch field and utterly barren save for the dark heap towards the center of the cavern. As they neared the dark mass, Severus realized what they were looking at before Harry did, he quickly grabbed his Dom's arm to halt his progress.

"Stay here," he ordered softly, trying to shift Harry behind him.

"What is it?"

Severus debated with himself whether to tell his young Dom or not. The teacher in him wanted to shield Harry from the painful reality of death, but Severus also now knew that Harry hadn't really had an easy life up to that point. In view of the rough relationship with his own family, multiple attempts on his life, and watching the Diggory boy's sudden death, Harry Potter was accustomed to death. Far more so than others.

"I believe those...are the remains of Regulus Black. He must have set the spells and enchantments on the sand then tried to call Kreacher back, not realizing his mother had bound the creature to Great Britain. Since he couldn't escape without tearing down everything he set up...he died here," Severus murmured, glancing back at Harry before looking back to the mound ahead.

Harry nodded in mute agreement, pushing Severus' arm out of the way before moving forward. Severus followed, staying close as they looked down at the skeleton and ragged clothing. Clutched in the palm of one skeletal hand was a locket with an elaborate 'S' on the face. Both men recognized it as identical to the fake locket that was currently in Harry's pack. Severus poked gently at the locket with his wand before levitating the object to spin slowly so he could see it from all sides. Harry glanced at him while carefully sifting through the pieces of fabric. Pausing for a moment, he gingerly withdrew a wand from the decaying folds, holding it up for Severus to see.

"Guess we don't have to go looking for a backup wand for me," he muttered softly.

Severus merely nodded, staring thoughtfully at the slim piece of wood.

"If I remember correctly, Regulus was a fairly powerful wizard. We'll have to test the wand once you come of age to see how it reacts to you," Severus offered before turning his attention back to the locket.

Leaving the locket dangling in midair, Severus took a scrap of cloth and transfigured it into a bag which he had Harry hold open as he levitated the locket into it. They both remembered clearly what had happened to Katie Bell with the cursed necklace from Draco Malfoy; neither were going to take a chance. Harry continued his search through the fabric but found nothing else of import. Standing at last, he brushed off his jeans before glancing quickly at Severus and dropping his gaze.

"Would you mind if we dug a grave for him? I know nothing will probably bother him down here but...it'll make me feel better," he requested softly, not looking up at the older man.

Without speaking, Severus did as asked, opening the earth and gently levering the tattered remains of Regulus Black into the shallow grave. Another wave of his wand and the mixture of sand and dirt were back in place. A warm hand slipped into his, squeezing tightly in thanks before they turned away and started back the way they came. The spells now inactive without the object they were meant to protect.

It was fully dark by the time they emerged from the cave and onto the ledge up the mountain face. Harry glanced around as Severus cast a _Tempus_ , only to be surprised by the late hour. They were in the mountain far longer than he originally anticipated. He also realized that today was Harry's birthday. He was an adult wizard now. Taking out the holly wand, he held it out to the young man and refused to blush when he received a smile in return.

"Happy Birthday, brat," he muttered gruffly.

Harry slowly took the wand, stepping closer and kissing Severus softly on the lips.

"Thank you."

Clearing his throat, Severus glanced away, hoping to curb the embarrassing flush that he could feel moving up his neck. Hearing a soft grunt beside him, he turned to watch Harry shift into his dragon form and hold out a foreleg to him. Watching the creature in confusion, Severus didn't get it until the great head jerked towards the dragon's own back then nudged the thrall towards his leg.

"Seriously? You want me to mount you? And what? Ride down the mountain?" he asked incredulously.

 _Well, honestly, I planned on mounting you later tonight back at the hotel room._

Severus flushed bright red, thankful the night hid the worst of it. Now that his mind was thoroughly occupied imagining everything Potter could do to him, he slowly climbed the scaled leg and carefully arranged himself between the spines, just behind the dragon's shoulder blades.

"Ready when you are. And please...take it gingerly," he said, eyeing the sharp drop.

He held his breath, leaning back as the dragon stepped off the ledge and performed a controlled slide down the mountain face. Powerful hind legs dug into the sand for traction as claws gripped at available stones to control their direction. Yes, the first few moments were terrifying but once he realized how well Harry was controlling their descent, it actually became thrilling for Severus. Feeling the wind rushing across his face, the muscles that rippled and flexed beneath his thighs, the combination of sensations had him breathless and oddly aroused. He even laughed out loud from the exhilaration which prompted an answering chirruping noise from Harry. Once they reached the bottom of the mountain, Harry didn't stop, but continued forward. With a few powerful bounds, he was airborne and gliding over the desert floor. Feeling unusually playful, Severus leaned forward.

"Catch me if you can."

Transfiguring his jacket into a robe, Severus swirled the fabric around himself and flitted off the back of the creature into a climbing swirl of smoke. Mental laughter echoing in their heads, the two beings chased each other; trying to outdo each other in aerial acrobatics. Severus was significantly smaller than a dragon and therefore more agile, but the dragon had strength and sheer power on his side. The discovery of one Horcrux was enough to put them both in good spirits and they let it show, reveling in the heady unfamiliar feeling. In the middle of their exuberant air dancing, rain began to fall steadily with the distant rumble of thunder. Harry went to ground quickly and Severus eventually followed. He landed lightly, laughing as he turned around to find Harry. His laughter died immediately when he saw the young man on his knees, clutching his torso tightly and gasping. Not stopping to cast an _Impervius_ spell on his clothing, he ran through the rain to Harry's side, sliding to his knees beside the young Dom.

"What's wrong?" he asked frantically, searching around for what might have attacked or injured Harry.

"Don't know," Harry grunted in reply, trying to curl into himself as though it would minimize the pain.

"Did something hit you? Is it the Horcrux? Give me something, Harry!" Severus snapped in frustration.

Before either could speak again, Harry shrieked loud and long as his body uncurled, arching backwards to stare up at the sky. He was frozen for a long moment before a positively feral gaze turned toward Severus. Red flames danced within the dilated pupils and Severus felt a frisson of fear.

"Harry?"

The young man tackled him without warning, straddling him to pin his hips to the ground and devouring his lips. In minutes both men were groaning as Harry ground his arse against Severus' groin. Harry blinked and Severus found himself naked with cool, damp sand against his back and arse. Everything was moving so quickly, Severus knew intelligent thought had been left far behind to catch up eventually, perhaps. This wasn't a case of setting up a scene with the intention of finding subspace. No, this was a case of a Dom wanting to fuck his sub.

Teeth rolled a nipple while a hand pinched and flicked at the other one, startling a ragged cry from his throat. Burying his hands into dark hair, Severus clenched tightly and heard a responding growl as he closed his eyes against the falling rain. If Potter wanted to be rough, so could he. Damp denim chafed against his sensitive cock causing him to cringe before snarling and jerking the hair sharply.

"Clothes off."

A quick blink from his Dom and Potter was also naked, allowing warm flesh to thrust against him. A gasp caught in Severus' throat as teeth bit into the flesh above his nipple. His legs were forcibly spread to allow a hot body room to nestle against his groin. He dug his nails into the damp back and felt a corresponding sharpness of nails biting into his right arse cheek. He wasn't sure what prompted this sudden liaison but he wasn't about to question it. He hooked one leg over Potter's hip and tilted his pelvis up to grind against the turgid cock.

"Yesssss," Harry snarled as he lifted his head to look at Severus.

Rain was streaming down his face and beading on his eyelashes. "I want you. I want to fuck you here in the middle of the desert, to hear you screaming my name until you can't remember anyone else before me."

He curled his hand around Severus' hip, easily lifting and tilting his pelvis even more, grinding his cock against his sub's perineum and gliding slickly past his clenching hole. Severus arched his head back at the sensation as fireworks went off behind his eyes. His hands spasmed, clutching tightly and scoring the pale back deeply with his nails, triggering a very inhuman roar from his Dom. Harry's head dipped and he bit the other side of the pale chest sharply, sucking the skin into his mouth, pulling blood to the surface. Severus was gasping, moaning incoherently as sensations overwhelmed his body; the hot body grinding against him, the cool sand at his back, the water splashing on his skin and the warm insistent fingers prodding at his hole. The body above him slid down his own, out from under his hands as Harry kissed down his torso before nestling between his legs. Severus reached for the damp hair again but froze when emerald green eyes snapped up to lock with his dark gaze.

"Hands above your head until I say otherwise."

Whimpering, he spread his knees wider before moving his arms above his head to bury his fingers into the cool sand. A hot mouth sucked down his cock and he shrieked as a slick finger slid into his hole, stroking over his prostate with shocking accuracy. The mouth hummed in response to his reactions and a strong arm was braced across his hips to restrain his movement. Incoherent words spilled from his mouth as Harry proceeded to take him apart piece by glorious piece. The tip of Harry's tongue dabbed at his slit before the warm mouth retreated far enough to suck around the capped head. He vaguely felt another finger slip into him, stretching the muscle as Harry suddenly deep throated him in one swift motion.

Severus' entire body jerked and the moist sand scraped coarsely over his shoulder blades as he shuddered in pleasure. It felt as though sand was going down his throat now considering how hoarse he was sounding as he moaned, panted, and screamed Harry's name into the swirling storm around them. Actually feeling lightheaded, he paused to blink owlishly down at the young man as he kissed and bit his way back up Severus' body, leaving teeth marks and bruises; licking the rainwater away with every placement of his lips and teeth.

Harry pushed the long pale legs up towards Severus chest and leered down at him. "Hold the back of your knees and keep your legs spread wide. I want to see what I own."

Shivering at the blatant possession, his weak arms slowly moved to where he could curl his hands around the back of his knees. Muscles protested as his legs were forced into positions he had not been in in years. Harry braced himself over Severus and nuzzled at the other man's throat. Rainwater streamed down Harry's shaggy hair and trickled over Severus' chest and shoulder

"Is this what you've wanted? Wanted me so...hungry for you that we couldn't even make it back to the hotel room. To be spread out under me like my own...personal...feast, to taste, to savor and...to devour."

At that last word Harry started pressing forward, watching as Severus arched his body in response to the steady stretch. Two fingers wasn't nearly enough to prep him properly but it was enough to avoid damage. Harry retreated briefly before pressing forward again, his cock steadily stretching the muscle.

"What are you, Severus? Tell me what you are," he murmured, still nuzzling as he continued his relentless assault on Severus' hole.

Short cries were bursting from his lips, almost as if they were being pushed out by Harry's cock as it slid deeper and deeper inside him. The stretch was almost too much as his hole opened to Harry's insistence. His leg muscles trembled at the strain but he would hold on until the end of his days as long as the pleasurable sensations continued. He felt Harry withdraw briefly before sliding forward again, the question finally penetrating the thick fog of lust.

"Your...yours...I'm yours, Harry. Take me," he wailed as Harry thrust sharply, sinking the last few inches home.

He wasn't given any time to mentally prepare for the overwhelming pleasure as Harry withdrew to thrust forward again...and again. The rainwater was sizzling as it struck their skin and red flames filled Harry's pupils once again as he stared down at his submissive. His hips sped up, driving his cock and constantly brushing against Severus' prostate as they both chased their respective orgasms. Potter suddenly braced himself on one arm while his other slipped between Severus and himself, his thumb running firmly against Severus' perineum. Having his prostate stimulated from two different angles pulled a shouting scream from him; every muscle in his body clenching and trembling. Feeling his orgasm peaking rapidly and promising to be explosive, Severus released his knees to let his legs wrap around Harry's waist as his hands reached for his lover's shoulders. He bellowed in bliss as one final stroke triggered his orgasm. Clenching down on Harry, he felt the cock that pierced him swell slightly before ejaculate flooded his passage. The was a mighty roar above him as flame licked emerald eyes locked with his. Severus felt as though a great chasm had opened beneath him and he couldn't help himself...he dove in.

(!)(!)(!)

Harry murmured nonsensical words as he nuzzled against Severus' throat. A few minutes earlier, he had slowly come back to himself while still buried in Severus' body. The rain had slowed but he could still feel it striking his back and rolling down his sides. Looking fondly down at the handsome man beneath him, he recalled their recent coupling. Those thoughts prompted a fresh thickening of his cock as Harry groaned, thrusting slightly into the still damp and loose channel. A faint moan drifted to his ears and he watched as dark eyes slowly opened.

A weak whimper sounded and Harry felt ejaculate oozing around his cock from the twitching hole. Smirking, he pulled back then slid forward slowly, everything loose and sloppy with precome and ejaculate. A fresh blush and a soft gasp came in response as he bent his head to kiss Severus. The kiss was slow and leisurely as long pale fingers buried themselves in his damp hair. Gripping the hips below him, he held Severus tightly and rolled them both over. Duel moans sounded as Severus settled above him and sank deeply onto his swelling cock. Severus trailed his fingers down Harry's torso and smirked to himself as he flicked his nails over the pebbled nipples. No words were needed as Severus started rocking, the cock up his arse a noticeable presence; his own cock was slow on the uptake but no less lacking in interest. Harry's hands gently toyed with the cock brushing against his stomach, carefully walking the line between too much and not enough, though his hands strayed to other places as well. Fingertips brushed over the parted lips panting above him then strong hands massaged flexing thighs before drifting up to twist and pinch a nipple. Their orgasms were slow and sultry, coming upon them silently with only a muted gasp and a soft keen. Severus' orgasm was dry but still enjoyable while Harry managed to spurt a stream or two of ejaculate into Severus' spasming channel.

Harry rolled them to the side, supporting his sub as he practically collapsed on the sand next to him.

"Hmm, I don't know what that was but it was so good," Harry muttered, kissing Severus' shoulder before his head thumped onto the wet sand.

Severus stretched, equally thrilled and disgusted by the sloppy sensation in his arse. "I'd say it was a mix of your magical maturation and completing our bond. That was the first time you've actually fucked me."

His Dom paused, realizing he spoke the truth. "Well, I'm glad it's done and I hope all future sex with you can measure up to it."

"I think if every time we have sex is like that, we might do ourselves harm," Severus replied, forcing himself to slowly sit up.

"Best way to die though."

Severus grudgingly admitted Potter was correct before looking around.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you do with our clothes?"

(!)(!)(!)

So sorry for the delay on this chapter. A new plot bunny snagged my attention and held it ransom. Not really an excuse but there it is. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Eternal thanks to my beta reader MyFirstistheFourth; none of this would be very good if not for you.


	8. Chapter 8

After summoning their clothing and apparating back to their hotel room, Harry and Severus enjoyed a leisurely shower together. Leisurely in that Severus blew Harry under the shower spray and Harry responded by using his fingers to make Severus nearly scream the hotel down around them. It was a unique experience for both of them; the bond allowing them to sense the other's emotions and feed off the other's pleasure. Afterwards, dressed in only hotel robes, Harry sat on the bed while Severus sat in a chair to cautiously withdraw the locket from the bag. Placing it on the table where they both could see it, they merely stared at the innocuous looking piece of jewelry for a time before Harry spoke.

"We've theorized previously but do you know a definitive method for destroying a Horcrux?"

Severus cut a dark glance towards the young man. "I'm well-read on many things, Harry, but hardly everything, certainly not Horcruxes. If a piece of the Dark Lord's soul is contained in this object, then he would not have made it easy to destroy. It will have protections of some sort. We'd need to get past those before we can work on destroying the soul shard."

Bracing his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, Harry rubbed his face before letting his hands drop. "The diary was destroyed with a Basilisk fang. I pierced the inner pages and it destroyed the soul shard; damaged the book but didn't destroy it. Dumbledore destroyed the ring, as well as the soul shard, but I don't know how. I agree with you, I can't imagine that Tom would have made it easy."

"Correct. The curse that afflicted Albus' hand from the ring was a vicious one. He said he felt a subtle but strong compulsion to try the ring on," Severus added, Harry nodding his agreement with the statement.

"The tasks we had to go through for the fake locket were also difficult. Since we don't know what Dumbledore did to the ring, the only proven method of destruction we know of, thus far, is Basilisk venom. A Basilisk is one of the darkest of creatures as well as the most venomous, but I carry neither a Basilisk nor a spare fang around in my back pocket. The remains of the Basilisk are still in the Chamber but Hogwarts is closed to us currently. Can you think of anything that is comparable to Basilisk venom?"

Severus crossed his arms and tapped a finger against his lower lip. Realizing how tender his lips were, he stopped tapping, trying not to blush while remembering how his lips came to be in such a state. Glowering at the smirking Dom, he turned his attention back to the topic at hand.

"There are a few potions that can destroy dark objects and the magic within but each potion has to be tailored to the specific object and its makeup. It would take several attempts to fine tune a potion."

"You mean the chemical makeup of the object as well as the magical makeup of the curse or charm?" Harry confirmed, seeing a brief flash of appreciation in Severus' dark eyes.

"Correct. It would be possible to create a potion to do this but it would take time; time I do not think we have," Severus replied quietly.

Harry huffed softly and nodded. He started to rub his fingers together in thought as he stared at the locket. Something as potent as Basilisk venom but more accessible than a potion. His mind skimmed through everything he had learned so far from the magical world and his schooling. A term from one of the many books in the library he had read for a class came forward.

"What about Fiendfyre?" he questioned, not flinching at the sharpened gaze from his professor.

"Where did you learn about Fiendfyre?"

The young man shrugged, "Doing research in the library for some project. So is it a possibility?"

Severus shook his head. "I'll have to speak with the other professors about what they assign as projects. But possibly, yes, Fiendfyre is cursed fire that takes the shape of an animal. Theoretically, it should be able to destroy a cursed item such as a Horcrux. The drawback to Fiendfyre though, is that it is extremely difficult to control. Whatever shape it takes, it becomes similar to that animal, almost with a mind of its own; it becomes sentient. I would prefer we only use Fiendfyre as a last resort."

"What about dragon fire?"

Severus wobbled his head side to side for a moment as he thought it over.

"Possible but doubtful. Dragon fire is just fire, more similar to the muggle invention of napalm. We can always check to be sure once we get somewhere where we can experiment without disturbing anyone or drawing attention to ourselves."

Harry nodded, glancing towards the window and the city beyond. It was still early in the day and they wouldn't be able to move until the evening with its cover of darkness. Harry had already decided that they wouldn't be apparating like before or at least not over that distance. It would be too much of a drain for either of them. He hadn't told Severus yet, but he planned on flying them back to Great Britain in his dragon form; they just had to be sure to fly at night and over sparsely populated areas. Being honest with himself, a small part of it was also that he wanted to see what kind of distance his dragon could cross when he put his mind to it.

"Do you have any thoughts as to what other objects might be Horcruxes?" Severus asked, snapping Harry's attention back to his lover.

Shaking his head, he focused. "Well, that locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin. You must agree that Tom has a bit of a complex, so I would guess that the other Horcruxes are going to be something iconic to the other founders. Dumbledore showed me a memory of when he first met Tom as a child. Tom liked to steal things from other children, little trophies almost. So, it stands to reason that the other Horcruxes will have significant importance to the houses of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

"The diary wasn't special to the founders or to Hogwarts. What was the significance of that one then?"

Harry thought for a moment before tentatively expressing a theory. "The diary was turned into a Horcrux while Tom was still in school at Hogwarts. Maybe it was his first one? His tester?"

Severus nodded in understanding. "The ring?"

Harry rubbed his head. "Dumbledore told me the ring belonged to Tom's mother, she was a Gaunt family member. The Gaunt family were supposedly direct descendents of Slytherin; they only claimed that actually, there was no definitive proof of it. But it was probably more than enough for him."

"Alright. So we should probably research artifacts directly linked to the other Founders in order to find the three most likely objects. We can do that once arriving back in England."

"We'll be looking for four other possible Horcruxes."

Severus' throat seemed to close up briefly at the knowledge that there were _four_ more Horcruxes that they had to hunt down and destroy. A shiver ran down his spine when he recalled Albus' words from so many weeks ago. How certain was the Headmaster that Harry was one of these Horcruxes? Could he have been wrong? It wasn't like the great Albus Dumbledore was infallible. He made mistakes just like everyone else; he just had the skill and good fortune to be able to cover them up quickly or apply misdirection. Despite their shared animosity from years past, he didn't want the young man to die as a martyr. Especially not now that they had some semblance of a relationship; no matter that it revolved around the dragon and thrall conundrum.

Glaring at the Horcrux resting on the table, he focused on transfiguring a storage container that would keep the locket safe and undetectable during their transport. He was so occupied that he didn't catch the tentative look on Harry's face before he turned away.

"I've settled our balance with the front desk, we're paid up for the night but we'll leave this evening. Instead of using apparition and exhausting ourselves, I've decided we'll fly and use the cover of darkness to hide my dragon form. We'll cast warming charms on you and fly high enough to hide in any available cloud cover," Harry announced and it took Severus a moment to register what his lover was saying.

"You seriously want to fly over the Mediterranean and the Continent? That'll take an absurd amount of time."

Harry raised an eyebrow before answering. "I think it'll balance out. It exhausted you bringing us here. I haven't practiced enough to feel comfortable doing it by myself, let alone with you. We can't lose time waiting for you to recover if you jump us the entire distance like before. I can fly us across the Mediterranean easily and probably most of the mainland. If I get tired, then at least we're that much closer and it won't be too much of a drain on you if you apparate us the remainder of the way. This is the best way, Severus."

He turned and started organizing his belongings while the Potions Master snarled at his back. Severus hated to admit it but he had a point. Riding Harry's dragon form down the mountain earlier, he had felt the powerful muscles flexing to maintain the controlled slide as well as when he launched himself into the air.

Severus didn't try to argue since he didn't have any data on the flying speed of dragons. He would be sure to closely monitor though, ready to step in if Harry seemed to be exhausting himself. It would probably happen; he was a Gryffindor after all.

(!)(!)(!)

Departing the hotel later that night, they wandered the streets picking up various items they might have a need for on the return journey. Harry selected a spare wand holster for his calf to keep Regulus' wand in. Severus purchased several potion ingredients that were hard to come by in England. When it was late enough, Severus apparated them back out to the desert. Casting a spell to ensure there weren't any nearby humans, Severus nodded at Harry and watched as the young man pulled out Regulus' wand. Rolling it between his fingers to get a good feel of it, Harry took a firmer grip and pointed it at a nearby boulder.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_."

Instead of gently levitating into the air, the boulder shot straight up before Harry could cancel the spell. Severus swiftly pulled him back and they both watched as the boulder fell straight back to earth and buried itself deep into the sand. They both looked warily at the wand before Severus spoke.

"Use that wand cautiously. Probably best for offensive spells."

Harry nodded and resheathed the wand in its holster before handing his pack over to Severus to carry while he was in his dragon form. Though he could carry the pack while they traveled, he'd be busy flying them across water and mountains; best to keep his claws and mouth available if needed.

Severus watched as Harry shifted into his dragon form; still fascinated that the young wizard had this ability. Shaking off his amazement, he cast various warming spells over himself before using Harry's braced foreleg as a step to mount and settle himself between the spines like before.

 _Hold on tight._

Severus wrapped his arms around the spine in front of him as leathery wings stretched out from Harry's sides. The large body crouched low before launching straight up, wings beating the air to gain altitude. The ground retreated swiftly as Harry began to add forward momentum. Before long, they were soaring just above the clouds with nothing but the stars above and the clouds below. Severus was thankful for the various warming charms when he saw ice crystals forming on the tips of Harry's spines. Despite that, the cold didn't seem to affect Harry, only the spines. The body between Severus' thighs was practically blood hot as he ran his hands from the base of one spine up to the top. The base was slightly warm but suddenly went cold halfway up.

 _Well, that makes sense,_ Severus mused. _The only portion of a claw or nail that receives blood is the quick which is lower._

 _Obviously._

Harry's reply to Severus' own mental musings was so startling that he jerked and wobbled briefly, almost falling off the side.

"You heard that?" Severus bellowed and saw the large head jerk slightly to the side.

 _Of course I did. After our bonding, I heard all of your thoughts; conscious or unconscious. Please don't yell. I get it in surround sound now._

Severus was shocked into silence. The knowledge that his private thoughts were no longer private was a shock he wasn't too happy about. He wasn't sure if he should be horrified or furious.

 _I would never abuse this, Severus. Not if I can help it. There is the chance to abuse it, I admit, but I would never do that to you. Despite the Dom and sub, dragon and thrall relationship we have, I do value and respect you._

Severus couldn't stop himself from asking. _Why? Up until a week ago, we despised each other. Since becoming your thrall, I've honestly expected you to abuse your position._

He swallowed tightly, realizing something just as he was about to say it. _I still do. After everything I've said and put you through._

Severus hadn't realized until that point, but he still expected Harry to turn cruel now that he had power over him. Power to do whatever he wished without anyone's consent. Knowing how harsh and unfair he had been to the boy during school, he couldn't fathom that he could or would easily forgive those moments and harsh words. If their situations were reversed, could he dare acknowledge that he probably would have used it against Harry? He wanted to shrink in on himself with the knowledge of his honest answer. Harry was silent as he continued to glide, beating his wings every once in awhile to move between the air currents.

 _When I saw your memories of discussing the Headmaster's death with him, I also felt your emotions. Your hatred at being put in that position but also the resignation. You felt as if you deserved it. You feel guilty for so many things, Severus. Some things you have no right to feel guilty about. Some of the things you feel guilty for, you were forced into doing. Forced by circumstances and one stupid childhood mistake._

Harry stopped talking to let Severus think, tilting his wings just enough to start dropping through the cloud cover. Spotting the darkened landscape of trees below them, Harry was surprised at how far they had come. They had already soared over the Mediterranean and were already back over the mainland. In fact, he could see the Alps ahead of them. Shadows were deep in the mountains and constantly moving under his sharp gaze. Dropping even further, he started to feel the winds buffeting his wings from the mountains and lower altitude. Before Hogwarts, he had never left Surrey; never having seen what else waited for him out in the world. Now he had the world spread out under him and before him. Ready to be explored and sampled like a delicate dish.

Taking a deep lungful of air, Harry could feel his heart beating deep and loud in his chest. Flying like this, at night with nothing but the roar of the wind in his ears, felt like true freedom. Admiring the sensation for a moment longer, he started looking for a safe place to land and rest briefly.

 _Hold tight. Coming in for a landing._

He felt Snape's legs tighten until he could confidently tilt his wings and start to drop. Seeing a medium sized plateau that would serve well as rest spot, he circled the low mountains before clawing onto an outlying cliff. Digging his claws in, he scrabbled down the mountain before coming to rest on the outcropping. Lowering his body, he allowed Severus to climb down before straightening. Severus's wand lit up the area as he pulled off their pack.

"Did you want to shift back to human form? We don't have anything in here to appease a dragon's appetite," he commented, opening the pack and thrusting his arm in.

Severus looked up in time to see Harry start to shift back, that was the same moment a shriek pierced the air. They both turned abruptly to see a darkened shadow launch itself towards Harry. Severus was frozen in shock as the shadow slammed into Harry's half-formed body and tumbled them towards the edge of the plateau.

"Harry!" Severus yelled, seeing his lover tumble over the edge and into the darkness with the assailant.

The attack came so suddenly that for a moment Severus' mind couldn't wrap around what he just saw. Behind him, he heard deep growls and the same sound Potter's claws had made only moments earlier on the stone. The sound of sharp talons gouging into stone as something heavy moved along the rock face. Slowly turning and strengthening his lumos, he watched as from the shadows farther up the mountain, two dragons crawled down the stone wall and into the light his wand cast, talons gleaming in the light and fangs bared as they closed in around him. He flinched at the loud screech from somewhere behind him, picturing a dragon's death throes from the fall; broken on the rocks below. He could only acknowledge that their mission was fated to fail from the start. Keeping his gaze on the two approaching dragons and vowing not to go down without a fight, he noticed when their attention shifted from him to something new. Swiftly conjuring a mirror to watch his back and determine if it was about to be dragon fodder, he glanced behind himself, watching as smoldering green eyes appeared over the cliff edge. The eyes continued to rise, followed by black scales as Harry climbed up over the edge with a snarl on his lips. His form blocked the moon's light and cast a shadow over Severus as a taloned paw planted next to him. Banishing the mirror, his eyes flickered up to see the underside of Harry's jaw, a small stream of bloody saliva dripping down to the dirt below their feet.

The other two dragons had lost interest in Severus as their focus turned towards Harry, more concerned with an actual threat. Severus swallowed tightly, waiting to see who would flinch first.

 _Severus, down!_

He dropped to the ground to provide clearance when Harry suddenly launched over him at the dragons. Talons scrabbled against hide and scales, seeking purchase as teeth clicked in agitation. Severus watched as Harry battled against two equally sized dragons, trying to gain any advantage. Looking around frantically, he levitated a nearby boulder, casting it towards one of the dragons to strike its wing joint. It turned towards Severus with a snarl, properly distracted now.

With one's focus away from him, Harry bodily slammed the other to the ground and wrapped one clawed foot around the bared throat while the talons of the other pierced the flesh over his opponent's heart. Turning his head towards the dragon slowly advancing on Severus, he released a challenging cry, watching as the remaining attacker turned back towards him. Digging his talons in deeper prompted a pained cry from the dragon below him. Lips curling back in a snarl and smoke wafting from his mouth, he stared down the last dragon.

The words drifted up from his dragon mind. _Submit to me, submit to your Dominus Draco._

His magic flowed from him and pierced the three figures around him. The dragon below him allowed its head to fall back, baring the vulnerable throat further. The other dragon lowered its body to the ground, the head slowly following before it started backing away. Its gaze was turned away from Harry's dominant pose, submitting to the larger dragon.

Surprisingly, or not really, Severus also fell to his knees and bowed his head. The Dominus Draco's power was absolute when it came to dragons and its thrall.

(!)(!)(!)

"So they will be your Lieutenants in the upcoming war?" Severus asked, dabbing at the wounds that sprinkled Harry's dragon form.

 _Yes, they could be. They have agreed to carry a message for me to the other dragon colonies. If it comes down to a battle, they and others will come._

Severus sighed at how weary Harry sounded. Between the flight and the battle, it was to be expected even with a dragon's stamina. The other dragons had taken off shortly after the battle and Harry's talk with them. Well, in all honestly it was more like a general giving out orders. The orders were simple, attack any Death Eaters found but do so delicately. And when the call goes out, come to the final battle.

"How did you know they would submit to you?"

A dragon couldn't shrug but Severus mentally sensed that's what Harry did.

 _My instincts took over when I saw you were in danger; I was more focused on ensuring we both survived. My book indicated that I could draw Alpha Dragons and they'd be my Lieutenants. Even if these dragons weren't, they can pass along the message to those that will be._

Severus wasn't too happy having dragons that tried to kill them on their side. But logically, he knew that having a few dragons as allies would be beneficial if they stayed true. Especially if the Dark Lord brought the trolls and werewolves to his side. _Unfortunately, there is a war coming_ , he thought, hearing a distracted hum of agreement.

 _Are you done? I want to move on._

The sudden words startled Severus and he stared blankly as the dragon body rose to its feet. Shoving their supplies back into their pack, he stood as well, watching as Harry flexed his wings.

"We need to rest. More importantly, you need to rest. Once we get back to England we won't have a moment to slow down."

 _We don't have to go all the way back to England. Just somewhere other than here. I need off this mountain._

Realizing how antsy Harry had gotten all of a sudden, Severus nodded quickly and mounted again. The plateau was quickly left behind as Harry carried them both off into the night. The trip was silent as Harry put distance between them and their previous landing spot. Severus didn't try to break it, somehow knowing that any comment would be unwelcome; he could feel the tension in the dragon's body beneath him. They flew for close to an hour until Harry settled on some thick woods.

 _Search for any nearby humans._

Severus pulled his wand and cast the spell, hoping they were low enough to get an accurate reading. There was a small village three miles away but that was the closest. Repeating the results back to Harry, he held on as the dragon basically crashed through the treetops to land on the forest floor. Harry's head swung around, his nostrils flaring heavily as he searched the area for any foes despite Severus' spell results. As Severus slid from Harry's back a sudden and familiar pain throbbed through his lower back. He froze as he remembered the last time he had felt this pain. Harry needed him; needed calming.

Moving quickly, he summoned their tent and sent it setting itself up while he started casting wards and shields on their small camp area. He then turned to the dragon still snarling at shadows and reached out a hand.

"Harry, change back to your human form."

Severus was snarled at in response. He snarled back and grabbed at the dark muzzle, pulling the head around.

"Change back, Harry."

Emerald green eyes stared at him before a slow blink proceeded a full body shudder. Severus kept his hands against his lover's face as the muzzle shrank and scales melted away. It was over in a moment and then Severus had a new problem; Harry wavered for a moment before collapsing into his arms. Grunting slightly at the sudden dead weight, Severus swept Harry up in his arms and carried him into the tent. Since it was just the two of them, the tent was simple yet adequate with only one bed to share.

Carefully placing Harry on the bed, he stripped the young man out of his clothing and slipped the nude body under the covers. Quickly checking that nothing was wrong other than simple exhaustion, Severus gently brushed a thumb over the parted lips before withdrawing quietly. He still needed food and then he would curl up with his lover for the night.

After eating a small meal, Severus extinguished all the lights and stripped himself down to slip under the covers. Harry had already built up a nice pocket of warmth and even deeply asleep he grabbed at Severus, pulling him tightly against his chest. When it was obvious Harry wasn't actually awake, Severus wiggled until he was comfortable in Harry's grip. An arm wrapped around Harry's waist as the warmth started seeping into his own body and he started to drouse. When his hand came in contact with Harry's back, he rubbed it gently with his fingertips, feeling ridges. He had felt them before while in the middle of other things but it hadn't been the right moment to investigate. Now, though, he was curious and had the time. Carefully pushing himself up with one arm, he reached for his wand and cast a weak _Lumos_. Leaning over Harry's body, he looked down at the bared back; it took a moment for his brain to interpret what he was seeing. There were scars; dozens of them in varying sizes and degrees of severity. But who would inflict damage viciously enough to leave such scars on the Wizarding World's Golden Boy?

(!)(!)(!)

I am so sorry for the delay for this chapter. I actually had this chapter completed a few months ago but had difficulty with a large section and wasn't happy with. Kept mulling over it and poking at it, never happy with it. Then actually ended up scraping an entire half of the chapter and rewrote it. Much happier with it now. So, again, sorry for the delay but hope you enjoy.


	9. Chapter 9

Late the next morning, Severus perched on the edge of the bed with a cup of coffee in one hand, the other gently pulling back the blanket covering Harry. The young wizard slept deeply and Severus' curiosity could no longer be contained. Severus had honestly tried to wait for Harry to awaken naturally, but after making a simple breakfast for both of them, checking on the Horcrux, and discovering where they had stopped, he couldn't wait any longer. With the light from their few lanterns and the open tent flap, he could better see the extent and severity of the scarring he had felt. None were actually as deep as they had first appeared or felt under his fingertips. It looked as though the original wounds were never allowed to heal over before suffering repeated abuse. His lips pursed tightly when he realized sadly that he wouldn't be able to remove the scars. There were methods he could employ to accomplish the task but they would be traumatic to his lover.

Severus' constant touching was apparently enough to bring Harry out of his slumber; he rolled his head just enough to look over his shoulder and grinned slightly at Severus.

"Morning," he mumbled, his grin sliding quickly into a leer.

A wave of Harry's hand sent Severus' cup of coffee soaring away before he grabbed the front of his robes and rolled Severus under him. Severus gasped briefly at the manhandling, but was soon moaning as eager lips attacked his neck; licking, nibbling, and sucking. The memory of the scars fled from his mind as Harry's firm body rubbed against him.

" _My thrall,_ " Harry purred, biting hard enough to leave the imprint of his teeth on the pale skin, adding fresh bruises to the older ones from their last sexual encounter.

That sharp jolt of pain was enough to push Severus towards subspace, especially as Harry scraped his nails over delicate skin, leaving red furrows. Severus' breath escaped in a shuddering rush as his clothing was swiftly divested, baring him to his Dom's insistent worship of the flesh. Aggressive lips and tongue toyed with each nipple until they were both swollen and red, throbbing with sensitivity. Fingers rubbed roughly at the hardened nubs, drawing a sob from Severus' lips as Harry smirked darkly before moving on.

"Har-Harry," Severus moaned as Harry slid down his body and palmed his arse cheeks.

Severus cried out when Harry gulped him down whole while digging his fingers into soft flesh. Harry's throat flexed rhythmically as he swallowed around the head of Severus' cock causing black spots to dance in his vision. Vibrations from a hum or a growl around his sensitive member then had Severus gasping and scrabbling for something to hold onto even as the warm wet mouth left his cock to bite at his hip bone, leaving another red mark that would bruise later. Lifting his head from his task, Harry leered at his thrall. With the snap of his fingers, invisible tethers wrapped around Severus' wrists and knees; pulling his wrists above his head and his knees towards his chest. Whimpering at the sudden exposed vulnerability, Severus awaited his Dom's next move. Harry's intentions became obvious when a broad flat tongue swiped boldly over Severus' hole. A short keening wail was the result as Harry focused his attention on the wrinkled furl. Harry's hands were free to roam over Severus' body; stroking, pinching, and rubbing, driving Severus' arousal even higher. Severus mentally giggled as the thought skittered across his mind: ' _Magic is great.'_ Here he was, bound and exposed by magic, with a young attractive wizard enthusiastically eating him out.

Harry smirked as his tongue swirled around the fluttering sphincter before stabbing into the tight hole. Harry enjoyed hearing his sub sobbing in pleasure as his teeth scraped over the sensitive rim and his tongue pierced the tender flesh. The muscle relaxed under his ministrations and Harry drew his hands back from Severus' hips to focus on the proceedings further down. One hand palmed Severus' weeping erection while the thumb of his other hand pressed along the perineum. Pausing for a moment, Harry watched the pale throat of his lover flex before his gaze dropped back to his target; curious, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated.

Severus was panting heavily now, swallowing thickly as the attack on his erogenous zones ceased for a moment, allowing him to catch his breath. The reprieve was short-lived as he felt something slithering up his hole to stroke around and over his prostate. Severus shocked himself with the intensity of his scream as logic firmly declared that there was no possible way Harry's tongue was that long or agile. Flexing his jaw and lifting his head, Severus looked down just as Harry looked up. Verdigris eyes with vertical slits stared back at him, surrounded by a smattering of black scales across the brow and cheekbones. Their frozen gaze held until Harry's forked tongue stroked over the sensitive prostate again. Severus' body bowed in ecstasy, straining against his bonds.

"Gah, Harry!"

The dragon's tongue flexed against the muscle, loosening and slickening it. Severus was amazed he hadn't already orgasmed by the time Harry crawled up his body, kissing him with tongue, teeth and lips. Harry's face had shifted back to its original dimensions by the time he nuzzled against Severus' sweaty neck. After some brief fumbling, he aligned his cock and pushed into Severus' welcoming body. The resulting loud moan brought a smile to Harry's lips as he pressed his hips tightly against the upturned arse. He leaned forward and mouthed at the bared neck, feeling the pounding heartbeat against his sensitive lips.

"You're magnificent," he murmured, slowing the roll of his hips, feeling the shuddering response of the body below him.

The resulting whimper from Severus was answered with a deeper thrust, changing the whimper into a moan. Bracing one hand along Severus' ribs and the other by his head, Harry raised up and began thrusting.

"Merlin!" Severus gasped, tugging frantically at his bonds, wanting something to grab onto to ground himself. Needing something to keep himself from drifting away into the haze of subspace.

Harry jerked his head and the bonds suddenly released their hold on Severus' appendages. Pins and needles prickled under Severus' skin but he paid no mind as his arms and legs wrapped tightly around Harry's thrusting body. Digging his nails into the firm flesh of Harry's back, Severus was once again reminded of the harsh ridges before another bite to his neck pushed the thought aside. Pressing his nose against Harry's collarbone and panting harshly, Severus felt the building pressure of his orgasm filling him to the point that coming without permission became a startling and dangerously real possibility.

Trying to breath through it, he forced his mouth to form words. "Plea-please sir, may I come? I need to come sir!"

Severus felt like his head would explode if Harry didn't give his permission. He wouldn't be able to hold back for much longer, he needed to orgasm so badly. Without answering, Harry kissed him deeply, their matching moans of pleasure exchanged hungrily. Harry's hand moved from alongside Severus' chest and reached between them to grip his thrall's cock, his thumb swiping firmly over the weeping head.

"Come for me Severus," Harry ordered, twisting his wrist slightly on the upstroke.

Severus threw his head back with a shriek, his body arching up sharply and pressing against Harry's still-moving torso. Severus' entire body trembled as he rode out his orgasm, sensations firing along his nerves as Harry continued to viciously pierce his body. Harry's abdomen still pressed and rubbed against Severus' oversensitive cock with every stroke smearing the mess of his release over his belly. Four thrusts later, Harry sank his shaft deep and groaned loudly, pressing his forehead against Severus' sweat-slicked chest. Liquid heat spurted into Severus and he trembled at the sensation, his arms and legs slow to release their hold on the body atop him. They both panted harshly as nerves started to settle and muscles relax. The heels of Severus' feet rested against the bed as his arms eased their grip; his fingers once again grazing across the ridges and bumps.

He had honestly planned on easing into this conversation; ask a few leading questions to feel out his lover's emotions; make it clear that he wasn't under interrogation. He could only blame his bluntness on the sex and how slow the blood flow back to his brain was.

"What caused the scars on your back?"

The lips that had been kissing along his collarbone froze in place as did the rest of Harry's body. The skin below the lips went chilly following the sharp intake of breath and the previously warm atmosphere in the tent seemed to cool sharply with the question.

"What did you just ask me?"

The voice was quiet and calm and shouldn't have caused Severus' stomach to churn with anxiety, but he had spent enough time with Harry to know that when he was that quiet there was danger looming.

"Th-You have scars on your back. More than I expected. I am curious."

Harry started to retreat, pulling away stiffly. Severus wanted to dig his fingers in to hold Harry close but hesitated in using the scars as traction for his fingers.

"They are none of your concern. Leave it."

Harry held out a hand and grabbed the trousers that came flying towards him. Scooting to the edge of the bed, he pulled them over his legs and stood to yank them up the rest of the way. He didn't fasten the waist, implying he wasn't about to leave but Severus worried regardless.

"I could brew a salve to help reduce the scar tissue. There's another salve that could work better if I knew the intent behind the injuries that caused the scars; if they were accidental or...not."

Cold green eyes locked with his dark ones and he knew that he should shut up.

"Leave it, Severus," Harry growled softly, looking away from the older man.

"Harry, I ca-"

"Kneel and be silent," Harry snarled, whirling to glare at his thrall as the Dom's voice lashed out.

Power crackled over Severus' skin as he hastily knelt on the bed, wrapping his hands around the back of his neck for good measure. Powerful magic swirled over and around his damp flesh, threatening damage if he disobeyed his Dom's request again. Severus was pretty sure Harry wouldn't hurt him, but he wasn't certain about the Dom's actions towards his prying sub. His Dom hadn't said to drop his gaze so he watched from under his lashes as Harry paced.

Harry's hands flexed by his sides as scales erupted sporadically over his chest and back. He occasionally glanced over at Severus for a brief moment before jerking his gaze away. Stopping finally, Harry closed his eyes and clenched his teeth so hard that Severus could see the muscle in his jaw quiver. Harry took a deep breath and turned away from Severus.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Severus had the brief thought of trying to follow him but it died immediately upon realizing he didn't have control of his body. His Dom hadn't released his kneel order; he couldn't even call out after him because of his demand for silence. Harry didn't pull the curtain all the way in the showering area, indicating to Severus that Harry knew exactly how he had left him. Severus could see the occasional flash of skin as Harry pulled off the trousers he had just put on moments earlier and started the shower. The sound changed once Harry was under the spray and Severus could see Harry's muscular arms braced against the wall. He remained in that position for several minutes until he finally started to wash. Every few minutes Harry would look around the edge of the curtain to observe Severus and ensure he wasn't in danger or distress. The sub was pleased that his Dom was so concerned about him but the non-sub part of Severus was cursing silently under his breath.

That could have gone much more smoothly. Severus should have known it wouldn't be easy to talk to Harry about the scars. Severus himself was a private man so he could understand; he had his own scars that he was more than reluctant to think about, let alone discuss them. Despite knowing this, his mind kept reverting back to the scars decorating Harry's back. He had known from listening in on the Golden Trio that Potter might not have had the best childhood, but he had chalked it up to small things. Granted, he had originally thought it was more along the lines of the boy not having anyone to wait on him hand and foot. Certainly not the possibility that he was abused by his guardians. Violently and repeatedly if the scars proved anything. Somehow he knew that getting Harry to open up about the scars would be practically impossible now.

Severus refocused his attention upon hearing the shower cut off. He watched as Harry dried himself off before walking back into the room in the nude. Despite having orgasmed not even fifteen minutes earlier, Severus' cock twitched with interest and he was reminded of the semen still leaking from his already used hole. Seems he was developing a Pavlovian response to seeing his Dom nude; ever hopeful that he would play with his sub. His own ejaculate had long since cooled and dried on his abdomen. Part of him was hoping that his Dom would add more to it, though that possibility seemed remote as Harry didn't even glance his way while he pulled out clean clothing.

"Your orders are released. I want to leave in thirty minutes. Do what you need to to be ready."

Severus flinched slightly at the cold tone the words were spoken in. Slowly unfolding his limbs and standing, he took a hesitant step towards Harry.

"No."

Severus froze in place at the sharp word. Harry's head turned towards him but not far enough to actually look at him.

"Do as I say, Severus. I'm not talking to you about my scars."

Harry went back to dressing, expecting Severus to do as he had been told. Severus did the smart thing and retreated before pushing Harry and his Dom too far. Hesitating briefly, he opted not to clean himself up, hoping that keeping his Dom's scent upon him would appease the agitated dragon. He dressed quickly and set about packing their various belongings away in preparation to shrink the tent and depart. Harry soon escaped the tent and when Severus emerged into the morning air, the dragon awaited him. The painful tension was palpable, prompting Severus to swiftly shrink the tent and store it away before mounting the imposing dragon looming behind him. With a loud snort, the broad wings started beating the air and they steadily rose into the sky.

The mental connection was silent as Harry gained altitude, Severus cloaking himself with strong and thick warming charms. Whereas before when they flew Severus saw himself as Harry's partner, he now felt like an unwelcome burden. The muscles under his thighs were no longer firm and relaxed, but rigid and unyielding. He thought he could hear occasional murmurs of a snarl through the mental link but couldn't be sure.

Hours later they re-entered British airspace and a storm that raged against its shores. Rain lashed harshly against them both and Severus' charms started to lose their potency. Despite how angry he was at Severus, Harry sensed how miserable his sub was getting and knew they needed to find shelter soon. Tilting his wings, they dropped quickly and in short order had the tent up and wards set. Tomorrow they would decide where to look in London and resume their search for the next Horcrux.

Severus made a simple meal but ate alone when Harry silently shook his head at the offering. He sat in a chair by the tent flap, drinking a mug of tea while watching the storm rage outside. A shield protected Harry from the rain and wind but the thick scent of ozone filled the tent. Severus watched as the fingers of Harry's free hand rubbed constantly over the ribs under his opposite arm; right where Severus knew a thick swath of scar tissue lay. A brilliant flash of light preceded the loud crack of thunder; Harry glanced casually up at the sky before dropping his gaze back towards the surrounding forest. He took another sip of tea before resting the edge of the mug against his bottom lip. Severus pushed away his plate, sitting back from the small table as the food he just ate churned in his stomach. He wanted to go back to that morning, just after their coupling when things were still warm and hazy from endorphins. To stop himself from opening his mouth and releasing those comments.

"Everyone has a sob story and mine's no different. Despite what The Prophet says, I'm only human."

Harry drained the last of his tea and cast the mug towards the sink. Severus was still amazed at Harry's ease of casting wordless as well as wandless magic. Dumbledore and himself could only do a limited number of spells either wandless or wordless. But both? Harry honestly had no concept of just how powerful he was or could still become.

"My earliest memory of living with my relatives is of pain. Not like stomach ache pain but broken bone pain. I knew how to prepare a three-course meal when I was eight years old; still have the burn scars to prove the error part of trial and error. I knew what plants did well growing near each other because I was forced to spend five hours in the garden until it looked perfect for my Aunt. It was during that same time I learned what sort of plants will cause anaphylaxis for me."

Harry was silent for a moment, seemingly caught in a memory.

"I was unconscious in the garden for four hours until I could get in enough oxygen to breathe and wake up. I was overworked, underfed and verbally abused. Physically abused as well but my Uncle got tired of that when he couldn't get me to cry out. I got better at dodging my Aunt's frying pan and anticipating her swings."

Harry shrugged as another bolt of lightning illuminated his profile.

"Not great but not as bad as others."

Severus swallowed the first biting retort that came to mind. Any abuse is abhorrent no matter to what degree it was experienced. ' _Not as bad as others' his bloody golden stir stick_ , he mentally snarled _._ His Dom didn't move or twitch at the vicious thought, proving that he was respecting Severus' private thoughts and keeping them as background noise. Relaxing slightly, Severus thought again over what he just learned.

If Severus was honest with himself, he had at least suspected that Potter was abused at home. He just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it during their disastrous Occlumency lessons. Remembering those lessons reminded him painfully of how he himself had treated and spoken to Harry when he was supposed to be teaching him...helping him.

He was pulled from his memories when Harry's eyes cut over to him sharply.

"I've seen your scars, Severus. I know what they're from because I recognize them on my own body, but I didn't ask. I don't want or need to know the gory details. People should be allowed their secrets. I'd appreciate it if you allow me to keep mine next time."

Harry stood, slowly stretching out his back before heading for the sleeping area. A faint 'Goodnight' was called which Severus echoed but his mind was elsewhere.

He did join Harry in bed, but not until several hours later; mind filled with realizations.

(!)(!)(!)

Late the next morning Harry was waiting for his order to come up at the local coffee bar. He had slept roughly the night before, managing only a few hours before nightmares woke him with vivid memories of some of his more painful punishments from his time with the Dursley's. He acknowledged that they had beaten him physically and verbally abused him, but thankfully that was the extent of it. His nightmares, however, did not only consist of the memories of his abuse, they were augmented with frightening dreams of what could have happened; how it could have escalated. Thankfully his smothered scream upon waking hadn't disturbed Severus and he had let his lover sleep when he left the bed. He knew Severus must have seen the dark circles under his eyes but he hadn't mentioned anything when Harry had said he was stepping out for some air. Harry still wasn't happy with Severus prying into his scars. Even thinking about them made Harry flex his shoulders, ensuring that his shirt covered everything. Still, when he announced that he was going out, he honestly had expected Severus to fuss, yell, request to come along or something. But the older man had simply looked up from his books, nodded once then went back to reading and scribbling notes. Somehow saddened by the lack of interest, Harry had gone, certain that Severus now saw him as damaged and not worth the effort. He couldn't say he was surprised. Harry offered Severus an outlet to fulfill his submissive needs and anything beyond that was not required. His inner dragon was snarling at him to take his thrall in hand but Harry firmly silenced the voice in his mind. He had apparated to London on his own, walking the streets and trying to get his thoughts back in order.

Sighing, he glanced around the muggle cafe, his wandering gaze landing on a discarded paper open to an article for a new exhibit at the London Museum. Snagging the paper before someone else could, he looked at the collection of images, focusing on one that looked extremely familiar. Harry was so engrossed in the paper that he missed his name being called, his head jerking up only when his name was repeated with a louder and slightly annoyed voice. He rolled the paper up and shoved it in his back pocket before grabbing his order then hurried out of the cafe and down the block. Ducking into an alley, he threw aside his coffees and changed his current glamour to something different. Checking the paper one last time, he spun and apparated to one of the approved locations in downtown London. He wasted little time heading straight for the museum, the paper now clutched in his hand.

He spared a brief thought to returning to collect Severus but decided he wasn't that inclined to. Besides, he was just going to confirm what he thought the artifact in the paper was; he didn't need Severus' help to correctly identify it. They'd come back later tonight when the museum was closed and nick the artifact. Harry hoped it would be both of them but he could be alone depending on how receptive Severus was to working with him now that he knew about the scars, physical as well as mental.

Within a half hour Harry was standing in front of another Horcrux; Hufflepuff's cup. The museum's guide now in his back pocket along with the newspaper article as he slowly circled the display case, respecting the boundaries marked by velvet ropes. It was in a case with a few other artifacts and if Harry reached a hand out he could feel the malevolent aura surrounding it. The ropes kept everyone far away enough to escape the worst of it but Harry was more sensitive to things now. A child's sudden shriek pulled his attention away briefly and he watched as a young boy tugged sharply at his mother's hand, refusing to get any closer to the case. _Future wizard,_ Harry mused, turning back to the case.

Harry scanned the brief description of the artifact and its bloody history. He hadn't planned on actually touching it but now he knew definitely not too. Seemed everyone that owned the cup following the mid-1940s had died under very mysterious circumstances. Those mysterious circumstances must have happened to muggles; he could only imagine what it might do to a Wizard or Witch. There were multiple historical references to a similar cup dating back to 14th century but nothing to prove it was the same cup. Moving away from the display case, Harry continued on through the museum taking note of the video cameras as well as where the security and electrical rooms were. Thankfully the museum's guide had a map in it and after swiping a pen from one of the information desks, he was able to mark everything he needed. He could only guess at how many security guards might be on late at night though. They would just have to deal with that tonight and do the best they could.

Practically skipping out of the museum, he returned to the designated apparition point and twisted away. Landing again, he hurried across the field and felt the tingle of the wards as he passed through them. The tent came into view and Harry was already calling Severus' name as he pushed aside the flap. The man was still sitting at the table though now surrounded with even more notes than when Harry had left.

"We were right about Tom using artifacts attached to the Founders. I found Hufflepuff's cup sitting in plain sight at the London museum. We can nick it tonight after they close up. I have a map of the museum and took note of where the security office is located," Harry rambled as he started to fix himself a cup of tea in celebration.

Severus stared blankly ahead as he processed everything that Harry had discovered. He was furious that Harry had gone into London by himself without protection or backup, without in fact even informing him that he was going there. Oh, he knew Potter was going out but didn't know the details of what he had assumed was simply a walk. Harry hadn't felt the need to inform him, though Severus hadn't felt the need to inquire either.

Severus watched Harry's lithe body moving swiftly around the dining area. Despite the looseness of the shirt, he could easily discern the muscles flexing beneath the fabric. The same muscles that his own fingers had dug into while strong hips thrust against his body. His own pale, thin, scarred body such a stark contrast to that of the young Dominant. Not for the first time, Severus considered that he was only in this situation due to a matter of circumstance, not because Harry had chosen to have him. Hunching his body against the all-consuming self-hate, he sat back and pushed aside the books and parchments. He had spent all morning searching for every possible lead to further aid them and Potter managed to find a Horcrux by simply stumbling over it. Severus was feeling less necessary to this mission by the minute.

"Yes, Dominus, we'll go tonight."

(!)(!)(!)

Harry apparated them into a utility closet just down the hallway from the security office. He cast a concerned look at Severus, the man being more stoically quiet than usual. Ever since they had left the tent, he had been withdrawn and passive; agreeing to anything Harry suggested without an opposing word. Harry wasn't used to this from his fiery thrall. He could open their link and listen to Severus' inner thoughts but he already promised his thrall that he wouldn't do that unless it was necessary, and he didn't consider this necessary. Mentally shaking his head, he resolved to talk with him about it after they collected the Horcrux and returned safely. He would make Severus discuss this with him.

Remembering which direction the camera was, Harry pulled the door open just enough to cast a powerful smoke charm. The area in front of the camera was soon obscured enough for them to move towards the security office unseen. If Harry had guessed correctly, a guard would come and see what was causing the smoke; he hoped since the camera was so close that the guard in the office would be the one to check. A few moments later his wish came true, the door to the security office opened and a silent _Stupefy_ from Severus sent the guard crumbling to the floor. While Severus quickly bound and gagged the individual, Harry glanced over the monitors, noting how many more security guards roamed the museum; debating what would be the best plan.

"I'm pretty sure the security feeds are stored digitally. Do you know of a spell that will short out the entire system?" Harry asked, glancing over at Severus who stood at his side.

Severus nodded and motioned Harry back from the console. He soaked the entire system in water and then fried it with electricity; at least a bit more than the system was capable of doing itself once doused in water. Hearing the entire system shut down, they cast _Disillusionment_ charms over themselves and quietly left the office to make for the Horcrux. There were only three other security guards wandering around the museum but quick Muggle repelling charms in the hallway prevented them from coming near while they worked.

"So? What do you think?" Harry asked, controlling his excitement over his discovery.

Severus glanced at him before looking back to the cup. With a soft murmur, he levitated the glass box encasing it and set it aside. Casting a few detection spells, he did pick up the dark magic inherent to Horcruxes but nothing else. At least nothing that would immediately damage someone picking it up as it obviously had a long history in Muggle hands; it probably took some time before it started to influence the owner. No traps like they had dealt with in Egypt. Severus suspected that prolonged exposure would start to negatively affect even the most strictly disciplined individual, whether physically, mentally or emotionally; himself included. Severus knew quite well that everyone had a breaking point; some were just harder to find.

"Well?"

"I think we need to get it secured with the other one and do so quickly. Hopefully, since the security system is compromised we can just take it."

Severus pulled out the small bag and handed it to Harry to hold open. Layer upon layer of protection and blocking spells lined the bag to isolate whatever was placed into it and that was what they would transport the cup in. Taking a deep breath, Severus levitated the cup and paused to ensure nothing else happened. When nothing did, he dropped it into the bag just as multiple cracks sounded behind him and an anti-apparition ward sprang to life.

Severus had already cast a shield when Harry shoved him down as multiple curses shot towards them, most hitting the shield and being deflected while others hit the wall behind them. The previously silent room exploded with sound as shouts and crashes competed with each other. Before he hit the ground beside Severus, Harry saw five black figures casting indiscriminately around the room. Grunting with the force of his fall, the bag momentarily fell from his grip as stonework exploded over his head. Using his own forward momentum, he scrambled to his feet and snagged the bag while casting over his shoulder. By unspoken agreement, Harry had gone in one direction and Severus had moved the opposite way. Now three of the attackers were focusing on Harry while the other two went after Severus, though Harry doubted they could recognize either of them. The only light in the room came from the moonlit skylight, a few windows, and the brief flashes of light from their spell casting. Harry was thankful that the DA had practiced like this, multiple people against one; it was still difficult but not as terrifying as it could have been. His time during the Triwizard Tournament had taught him the importance of using his surroundings and to keep moving. He also found that most wizards and witches were not accustomed to exercising and being physically fit. Most didn't move that much when dueling so Harry used it to his advantage. Granted, these Death Eaters were a bit better than your run of the mill witches and wizards but Harry was adept at using his surroundings for cover.

With his free hand, Harry shoved a random display case off its pedestal and grabbed what looked to be one of the heaviest items there before lobbing it at one of his attackers as a distraction. A quick severing charm towards the ceiling cut the wires holding a directional sign and sent it falling towards the Death Eater. Not stopping to watch, he moved on to another target and began to lead them down the hallway, away from Severus and his battle. It wouldn't do for any of the Death Eaters to start helping each other or for either of them to be caught in the crossfire of spells. Well, it would be fine if the Death Eaters were caught in the crossfire; just not Severus or himself.

Feeling his hair practically stand on end, Harry focused on the noises around him; the shrieking of some spells, the grunts and animalistic cries of the combatants. Gathering his own magical power as well as the dragon's power, he cast a powerful shield charm several feet in front of him and dropped to his knees, slamming his fists into the ground. Fissures fractured from the point of impact and raced towards the Death Eaters; large cracks opened at their feet as walls of marble rose up around them.

Slowly rising to his feet, Harry staggered towards where Severus battled. One Death Eater, mask partially shattered, saw him coming and _Disapparated_ away; obviously the one who had originally erected the barrier. The final Death Eater, realizing it was now two against one, disappeared in a crack. Both Severus and Harry were injured and exhausted, practically falling into each other's arms. Severus twisted for them both and took them away.

(!)(!)(!)

I am so sorry for the delay in getting this new chapter out to you. It has been a very rough year for me personally and I just lost the drive to really do anything other than the bare minimum of living. So again, I am sorry for the delay. Hopefully it will not be a long wait for the next chapter. Thank you for those that have stuck by me so far. Huge thanks to MyFirstistheFourth for continuously pushing me and offering an ear and shoulder.


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